By Tracy Zwick
New Yorkers from all corners of the city convened on a car-free block of West 103rd Street Thursday night for the Upper West Side’s inaugural “The Longest Table” – a free community event that aims to bring neighbors together over a shared meal. From pâté to pudding, West 103rd Street between West End and Broadway was filled with food and friends – both old and new.
Taylor Harrington of West 76th Street came with fellow UWSers Lauren Dattilo and Aleigh Meredith and made new friends from the Upper East Side who sat down beside them. The Harrington group brought bubbles, games, and cupcakes to celebrate Datillo’s birthday.
“I was mentioning this event to someone at the Strand Bookstore and a woman in front of me whipped around to tell me she’d been to one in Chelsea, and it was great!” Harrington reported.
Terrence Hanrahan of the West 102nd & West 103rd Street Block Association, an organizer of last night’s event, said the aim was to “create a sense of community” and foster connection at a time when many are at risk of isolation and loneliness.
That’s what UWS artist Jen Lenn was doing with her pal, UWS florist Tammy Haston, and a couple of other friends. “Everybody has a job,” Lenn laughed. Hers was a main dish: broccoli-ramen salad with chicken and a beautiful brown bread. Haston brought the flowers, naturally, and others were focused on appetizers, dessert, and beverages.
“I’d been wanting to organize one of these since I read about the first one in Chelsea,” said Robin Cole of West 86th Street. So when she saw on Instagram that someone had beat her to the punch and planned an UWS iteration, she was in. “I love building community,” Cole said. She was there with her sons, ages 5 and 8, who were setting up a toy racetrack with pals on a picnic blanket.
Bloomingdale Aging in Place (BAiP), a local organization that helps older adults lead vital, connected lives, had several tables last night. Lyndie Callan was at the head of one, with a niçoise salad and proud stories about BAiP’s “Senior Sluggers” softballl team. Callan’s friend Candy brought prosecco and a gluten-free dessert for those with celiac disease.
Hanrahan explained that students from nearby West Prep Academy had volunteered to help out at the event. So did Alexis Gentolia, a rising senior at Preston High School in the Bronx. She heard about The Longest Table from a friend at her dance studio, and a group of girls from the studio decided to help out. Gentolia was seated by a large speaker, DJ’ing from a playlist she’d created called “2025 Summer Hits” featuring Charlie XCX and Bruno Mars.
Of the myriad dishes on display, the showstopper may have been the stunning floral-designed cake brought by UWSer David Greenberg and his wife, Sheryl. The couple said they’d planned to pick up a simple cake, but when they mentioned it to a family friend named Aviva, she told them her mom had one at home they could take. Her mother happened to be Navah Perlman, the professional musician turned cake designer extraordinaire with nearly 20,000 Instagram followers. With a cake like that, they had no trouble making new friends.
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It’s nice what you can do with streets closed to traffic.
ugh noooo this is terrible how dare they take space from car parking?!?
Please think about the drivers from NJ like myself who NEED to park on UWS streets. As we all know, there is no other way to get from NJ to NY and NYC must contort itself to serve drivers needs.
Well would you want NJ Transit buses dropping off and picking up customers on the UWS instead?
Right on bro- city and suburban streets serve one purpose only, car transit and car parking. No bikes, no street closures (people enjoying a glass of wine at a table in the street? awful), no stickball, no punchball, nada. Years ago I remember an older lady who would sit in her folding chair on a Brooklyn sidewalk- when a friend’s pink spaldeen rolled up to her, she cut it in half. No ball playing near her house. True story.
They serve for transportation and parking of many types of vehicles. There’s a balance and urbanists want the balance such that they get to keep streets all to themselves and no one else.
What you really mean is you want the streets reserved for suburban interests instead of for the locals who live here. Sorry, we’re fed up with the suburbs trying to control our streets.
What I really mean is that streets belong to all people, especially the community that is the nucleus of a four state metropolitan area. If you don’t want those in the outer boroughs and suburbs using vehicles to access Manhattan, then don’t use your vehicles to leave Manhattan, practice what you all tell us to do!
Great so you agree cars dominance of our streets serves suburban interests. Most Manhattan residents don’t own a car and aren’t driving to your suburb. Why would we? Not much to see or do.
Back in the day, in South Philly, we played a version of stickball with half of a pink rubber ball. Took a lot more talent to pitch and hit halfballs. But you got two for the price of one.
Is this for real? We’re talking about a block to bring community together. There are many other blocks to park your car.
Is that sarcasm??
(It is sarcasm, tried to be over the top but these parking-mad NIMBYs are so deranged it’s difficult to top them)
I’m totally in favor of shutting down a street for an event. It’s been happening forever, and should continue. Plan the event, pull the permit, shut the street.
Shutting a street to traffic generally is another matter.
The two should not be confused.
What two? I am confused about what you are saying
Shutting a street for a specific event and shutting it, period.
Huh? How would you hold an event in the street like this without shutting a street to car traffic?
Why would you even want to? It’s clearly far more pleasant and safe when cars are removed.
Plenty of parking in the area during the summer.
If *I’m* reading it correctly, I think you mis-read Paul’s comment, UWS Dad. Paul was saying yes, it’s great to shut down the street for a particular one-off, permit-needed, event. Continue to do that. But shutting down a street to traffic “generally” (which I guess he means, routinely or even permanently) was a whole other matter (that I’m assuming he is *not* in favor of).
Hm ok you’re right that’s a fair reading of his comment, “generally” didn’t read as permanently to me which would make his point more clear.
I of course disagree with that view and think the UWS would be greatly improved by closing some side streets entirely to car traffic and routing through traffic off of Columbus / Amsterdam.
And when you are using a walker and need taxis to get you to your door you’ll change your mind.
No I don’t think so. My elderly neighbor uses a walker and she’s always walking around the neighborhood. Wheelchairs remain an option. A low traffic neighborhood would be safer and more pleasant as a bonus would facilitate more community events like the dinner featured in this article.
Check back in with us in 40 years, sir. Everything is simple when it’s not your fight.
Famously walkable cities in Europe have no older people
Europe has a lot more cars than American urbanists realize!
As the very first block to hold an event like this (in 1968!), I am glad to see that a sense of community still abounds within the City, and particularly on the UWS, even 57 years later!
It’s important to mention new member of the 102nd-103rd Street Block Association, Debbie Goetz, who was the mastermind and lead organizer of the event. Amazing work by her and others to make it happen!
I’m on 85th&WEA. Hope to attend next time. Wonderful feeling and idea.
yes this was Debbie’s party,
Hanrahan just helped with a few details but he’s proud to see his name in print just the same!
As a newcomer to the neighborhood (104th st), I would love to know when the next such event is. Where will it be advertised? The value of community building certainly outweighs the short-lived parking challenge.
Me too!!!!’
Sign up for the 102-103 block association online newletter.
My first ever apartment about 50 years ago was in a 5 or 6 story brownstone on 106th & WEA. Will sign up. Now on 85th and want community!
UWS needs more of this positive building of community.
It’s wonderful but no bathroom facilities. Prefer indoor. But I’m just an old woman so who cares.
Hey, I’m an old woman too and I care. I would have been happy to take you to the bathroom in my building nearby..
Awwwwwwwww
Molly….
I care for you💙
You can be my guest next year….I’ll get you up there and back👍
See you next year…. where do I sign up?
I love this! Sorry I wasn’t there, maybe next time
That cake is FABULOUS!!!
Love this! Would like info on how to get the permit, how far in advance it should be planned, are only Block Associations qualified to apply, etc. Thanks.
I want to be a part of the next one! Love EVERYthing about it!
A lovely event. An incredible cake!!!
I didn’t know about this- was it listed on the West Sid Rag. I would love the one for 86th street to happen. Everyone I know feels lonely. I would have attended. Maybe next year.
Worst idea ever! There is Riverside Park 1.5 blocks away with Hudson views, please utilize public space for these events. There are several elderly in my building in the middle of this block, how do they get their access aride or how do emergency vehicals come through?? A bunch of preveliged people taking over a block they dont live on!
Exactly!! The public street isn’t public space! It belongs to ME and MY car!
How dare hundreds of LOCAL RESIDENTS take it from ME!
Uh also, what about old people! [Insert hypothetical situation for sympathetic group here]?? Now that I’ve carefully applied a veneer of selflessness, BUT MY PARKING!
Public space belongs to everyone and not just pro gentrification interests.
Ha ‘veneer of selflessness’ is spot on.
I’m tired of a few loud NIMBYs hijacking public space so they can get free parking.
Zohran had some good ideas on pedestrianizing lots more spaces in the city, hope we get some of that up here under his mayoralty.
We should build the Mid Manhattan Expressway to spite urbanists!
Exactly. This event had nothing to do with community engagement. The brownstones are part of NYCHA with low income residents and, on the other side The Marseille, supportive” housing with low income and handicapped residents. It was not a block picnic where people shared food with their neighbors. It’s a “shared Street” under DOT Open Streets program which need “events” to close it every month or week. Sanitation can’t even clean the street because of the boulders. Six hundred local residents petitioned against this and were silenced.
Wow, have you considered that shared streets are so popular they draw people from all over the UWS?
Thank you for posting this. I’m really getting fed up with 2-3 people repeatedly chiming in to say that the ‘elderly’ could avoid closed street issues altogether by using walkers and wheelchairs.
So many white faces
What is your point?
OPOD and I agree again, whats going on….
Want to start the block association?
Get together with your neighbors?
Improve your quality of life?
Have a picnic with like-minded people?
Get in touch with the Upper West Side Coalition of block associations and other neighborhood groups-
Because we live Here that’s Why!
What fun! And a wonderful community event for all, the organizers, the volunteers and the attendees. Love it!
I grew up on that block. Sorry I couldn’t be there. I did return recently for my building’s centennial party.