The other day as I strolled up Broadway, I saw the facade of an old restaurant – Teachers Too. In scraping off the facade another failed store, somehow this gem was revealed. That’s right, people, Broadway used to have establishments other than banks and drugstores. Seeing that signage brought me back to my youth and made me nostalgic for what felt like a simpler time (will be writing about my 1970s parenting style soon).

I am happy to be raising my kids in this city, but sad sad that my kids will never have the city I had. Here is the NYC (slash Upper West Side) they will not have:
The grit. Okay, I don’t miss the litter and the non-AC subway cars (if you want to know a small hell, it’s riding through NYC subway tunnels without air conditioning. Hell was dimmed by opening the windows. Have blocked out what I may/may not have inhaled on those journeys). I miss the graffiti (the good kind, the art that could be really beautiful). I do miss the flavor, the heavy accents, the diversity. Pre gentrification, people of all races seemed to actually – go figure – live on the same block. At least in my neck of the woods. Or maybe they didn’t and I just wish they did but right now, while there is some diversity in my kids’ schools, there is exactly one black person in my 64 apartment building. There might also be one Asian woman but I don’t think so. We do have a mix of jews and gentiles, though maybe not on my particular floor.

PIX. Pix on WB channel 11 was the best game ever. It was like space invaders game you called into, but to get your guy to shoot the “invader” you had to say “Pix” into the phone Some lucky kids – no one I knew – got picked as callers. The smart kids said “pix” as many times and as quickly as they could. The sorry losers tried to time it just right and inevitably said pix way, way too late.  I felt bad for them, they had no game.

Unique Boutique, P.S I love you, Eyeore’s bookstore, Steve’s cookies, David’s cookies, Diane’s (gave up meat there, but still, great burger joint), Tower Records and so many more independent stores. Now there is nothing on Broadway that distinguishes it from any given mall and the only remnants of my youth are Harry’s shoes and westside Judaica. I don’t think I’m exaggerating. Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues might be slightly better, but not really.

Tokens. Yes, metro cards are convenient, but tokens were awesome. That they changed in shape/size was awesome. Knowing to ask for a transfer on the bus made you feel efficient – you knew what was up – and busses were 25 cents on Sundays. I am starting to sound like your grandpa who walked through snow to school, but there was something uniquely New York about the old system. Today, not so much.

The one where kids have some independence and just like the burbs, kids could travel alone or with friends and they were not the only ones doing so. Recently, my doorman asked me not to let my 9 and 6 yo ride the elevator alone. From the lobby to our apartment. Bucking his advice, I have been letting my 9 year-old run errands (and for the record, she was still 8 when I let her), and I can tell some people think I’m too lax. I also have left them in their seats at the New Victory theater while I run to the bathroom (I know some of you — you know who you are –  are having a heart-attack right now. Hi!). Back in the day, I rode my bike down the street, neighbors looked out for each other (or so it felt as a kid) and my two requirements as I was allowed more and more freedom were to 1) call when I arrived and 2) carry a dime (and then a quarter, just so I don’t sound even older than I actually am) to make a phone call from a phone booth should that need arise. And guess what – I survived and was more independent and confident for it. While I am willing to send my girl on local errands, I don’t want to be some crazy pioneer freak and have her be the only 4th grade traveling alone to school though I am confident she could.

Maybe the city is safer now, but it’s missing a lot of what made Old York so great.