Welcome To Riverdale

I learned that the old neighborhood has placed a sign up, just as you come off the Southbound exit 23 of the Saw Mill/Henry Hudson Pkwy. Pretty cool. We didn’t have that identifier when I was growing up there. We all just knew that anything north of the Riverdale Monument was Riverdale, anything south-west was Spuyten Duyvil, and anything southeast was Kingsbridge. north of Riverdale was Yonkers. Beyond that be dragons.

At some point, Spuyten Duyvil changed its name to South Riverdale, which by default made us North Riverdale.

To the left of that sign is Mush Park. Behind it is the large combined block between 254th and 256th street – between Mosholu and Riverdale Avenues – with the Playground, the PS 81 woods, the baseball field, Riverdale Neighborhood House, the Courts and PS 81. A lot of what takes place in Finding Jimmy Moran occurs on that one long block. You didn’t need a whole lot of space to grow up in the Bronx. We made the most of what we had.

Just off to the right of that photo, the exit opens onto Mosholu Avenue. If you drive north past 256th street, directly on the left, the west side of the street, you’ll see the family compound.

If you drive to the end of Mosholu, you’ll hit Broadway. Beyond that lay Van Cortlandt Park.

To the right off the eastern side of Mosholu, across from the compound, is the Russian Mission. We had a lot of fun in those woods before the USSR (at the time) bought it and built their tall tower, great for listening in on the locals.

IMHO, the best Pizza in the world can be found on Mosholu – Dinos Pizza. I would kill for one of Sal & Flor’s eggplant parm dishes with ricotta and mushrooms.

I miss Riverdale. I miss the people. I had a wonderful childhood there.

I understand that Riverdale is throwing a block party next Sunday. They are closing off a stretch of Riverdale Avenue and having food and music and street vendors selling goods to one and all.

If I were around I definitely would check it out.

If any of my Riverdalian friends read this, go to the street fair. I’ll be with you in spirit.

Well, I have a literal shit load of work I need to get to around here, so I have to sign off.

I’m running behind, so I have to play catch up.

You fine, five readers get those weekend errands finished, then do something fun.

Walk around the old neighborhood. Wherever that neighborhood is.

But most of all, make today a great one.