Roadtripping With Gina
The Bronx
The Bronx, In My Opinion
I admit, it’s not the most photogenic area of New York, but I included it because it’s still one of the best-known burroughs in New York. Without The Bronx, it’s not New York. There’s a reason why people who could afford to live anywhere wouldn’t choose to live anywhere but The Bronx. They love it. It’s the Home of Yankee Stadium, the New York Botanical Gardens, the Bronx Little Italy, and the world famous Bronx Zoo. It has mansions, awesome museums, and some really spectacular architecture. Drive these streets with me and you’ll see mile after mile of really decent places to live, and affordable housing for first time homebuyers. If anything, The Bronx is a victim of some really terrible public relations. If you’re not from New York, it would be easy to think of The Bronx and the most dangerous part of the city because it’s gone through some really hard times in the past. It’s got a reputation for being nothing but miles of slums and criminals. But every city in America has that area you leave alone, especially after dark. And any city can change if you pump some money and new development into it. The Bronx is full of so much history, and not just traditional history, though there are plenty of art museums and historic sights to see there. I mean the “streets are paved with gold” kind of history, where people came from some of the most desolate places on Earth with $2.00 in their pocket and made it there. For many immigrants to America, moving into those slums was a massive step up. There are countless stories of those who started off in the most dangerous parts of The Bronx and became millionaire athletes, movie stars, and musicians in America. Edgar Allen Poe lived there. If you’re visiting Manhattan, you’re only one short subway ride away from some of the best Latin, Italian, and yes…SOUL FOOD you will ever have in your life. And the music? If you’re into Salsa, some of the greatest salseros (salsa musicians) in history went from being nobody to somebody in the business by playing the Bronx. Ruben Blades, Hector Lavoe, Willie Colón, came from places like Puerto Rico and Panama and started playing little clubs in the Bronx back in the 70’s. They did that long before they became a household word to Salsa lovers around the world. Latin music grew up and blew up in the Bronx. It’s a pretty happening place. You just have to know where the party is.
Exploring The Bronx
The Bronx is the kind of place where, if you don’t have a car, you walk to the bus, the subway, or you can grab a cab or ride a bike. But like any big city anywhere on Earth, you really need to plan your trip if you’re just visiting, or even if you live there. After 25 years living in Chicago, there are some places I just don’t go. It’s likely that nothing would happen to me there, but why take chances? The city itself is spectacular, but you have to use situational awareness…be mindful of your surroundings. There are not-so-nice places in the world where the people who live there were born there, they’ve spent their lives there, and they’re gonna die there. Everybody knows each other. They grew up together and went to school together. They know who’s a dope fiend, who’s an habitual thief, who’s a weirdo, and who are the most dangerous among them. But you know who they don’t know? The don’t know me. Nobody knows who I am, what I’m doing there, and if I’ve come to start something. Am I predator or prey? I’ve wandered into places like that in Chicago and I was lucky, because I was “with” someone that the people there knew and respected. But on my own, I’m potential prey. And I’m saying this because The Bronx is part of one of the biggest cities in the world, and you have to respect that it’s not one of those places you can just wander off and explore. Plan your trip to see the sights, and there’s lots to see. Fieldstone and Riverdale are great places to explore the mansions and look at the cool architecture. If you’re thinking of moving to New York but you can’t afford Manhattan, Marble Hill and Kingsbridge are undergoing a lot of new residential and commercial development that put you near Manhattan but in housing that’s much more affordable. The Fordham area by Fordham University is also nice, as is the Concourse neighborhood, with lots of co-ops and studio apartments. Your average 1 bedroom apartment will start at about $1,600 a month. If you want to move to New York and live near Manhattan, the Bronx might just be the way to go. But if you’re just visiting, stay on the beaten path. The rule of thumb in any big city is that if the cab driver won’t go there, you probably shouldn’t either.
Walk The Neighborhood
Move the mouse on top of the little gold man on the map. Hold down the left mouse button and you’ll see blue lines appear. Those lines are streets. Drag and drop the little man on top of the street you want and let go of the mouse button. The picture on the right will change to show you a view of that street along with the street name. Click the arrows on the street to “walk” around. Or you can double-click the street to walk if there’s an arrow under your cursor. Roll the middle mouse button to zoom in and out. That’s all there is to it. Now get out there and explore!