I'm a day late, but I wanted to make sure this wasn't a really short and half-assed post. Yesterday I had to put up my very first listings, a process that I knew would be annoying, but was far more time consuming than I could have imagined. Because launching that building is how I've been spending a lot of my time recently, and it's where I'll be spending my Saturdays starting next week, today's wkndr is about Fieldston/Riverdale in the Bronx!
Fieldston is a very interesting enclave; it's a private, affluent community (suburb, even) in Riverdale, and is home to the Ethical Cultural Fieldston School, a top private school that I really like due to its focus on creating well-rounded members of society who have empathy along with wealth. Certain politicians have shown us what ambition without empathy can bring, so I've been very happy with my experiences with ECFS. Fieldston itself also manages to be reasonably affordable (for NYC), with some stand-alone homes available for less than a million dollars, and one-bedrooms under 200k.
Even outside of Fieldston, Riverdale itself is a gorgeous neighborhood -- and it really does feel like a neighborhood! I am immune to the idea that "uptown" means "dangerous," but many people are not. They hear the Bronx and they hear scary, unsafe, hard to get to, etc. I will admit that due to my hatred of the trains I was hesitant to engage with a project 125 blocks North of my own apartment, but it's only 15 minutes by car, and, if the subway is actually functioning, about 45 minutes by train. If you live in Brooklyn, yeah, it's far, but the Bronx is honestly incredible. The botanical garden is better than BK's (in my humble opinion), Arthur Ave is the new (as of 10+ years ago) Little Italy, and the value you can get up there is insane. If you are still freaked out by the idea of a Bronx zip code, I'd invite you to check out those landmarks and the Riverdale neighborhood first. Baby steps!
Day Things in Riverdale: A Guide
The best thing I've discovered in Riverdale thus far (but I plan on exploring more in the coming weeks) is Lloyd's Carrot Cake. If you look at Google Maps, Lloyd's stays highlighted even as you zoom out further and further. I was intrigued the first time I walked past it, hungry the second, and the third time I stopped in and bought a cake. Oh. My. God. is it delicious. I brought some to the office and people who had grown up in the Bronx lost their absolute minds over it. If you ever want to impress someone who likes carrot cake, head to Lloyds. Apparently they also do red velvet and other types of cake, but I'm gonna stick with carrot for the time being. It's just a kitchen and a little storefront, and it smells absolutely incredible when you walk past. Cakes are very reasonably priced (8" round cakes are $15-$18 depending on toppings), and everyone working is kind and helpful. I am going to gain so much weight walking past it twice a week, as there's no way I won't stop. Is this a whole paragraph about carrot cake? Yes, yes it is. Lloyds deserves it.
Lloyd's Carrot Cake, 6087 Broadway in Riverdale (don't go Monday morning; the bakers take the weekend off so the cakes aren't ready for purchase until later, and you will cry having to smell but not eat the magic)
Another benefit of this new building? It's right next to Van Cortlandt Park, a well-maintained and massive green area with running paths, soccer fields, and actual grass! NYC does a great job of having a lot of parks, but many of them are not places you'd want to sit on the ground. I could easily spend a day exploring the THOUSAND ACRES (seriously!!), lazing in the grass, and eating carrot cake (one track mind over here). The park also contains a golf course and a lake. Writing this is getting me really pumped to spend next wknd up there!!
Van Cortlandt Park, NW Bronx (but too massive for an address)
The last thing you can do on a wknd day in Riverdale? Visit me at my new building for the Open Houses! I'll be holding the first one on Wednesday, as Con Edison tore up the street so we canceled today's, and then going forward will spend every Saturday from 12-1pm uptown until everything is rented. I'm torn, because obviously I want it to rent quickly, but I also hope I get to spend at least a few weekends up there first! Check out my listings below, and if you know anyone who wants to live in an insanely nice rental building (seriously, the place was built like it was condo units instead), please feel free to pass these along!
And the music for this wknd? Isn't it obvious? It's the song I've been obnoxiously singing and jumping around to whenever anyone asks where my new listings are. I'm very, very professional and also cool, guys. Didn't you know?
UPTOWN GIRLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL, SHE'S BEEN LIVING IN HER UPTOWN WORLD!!!
I'll show myself out.
xoxo
Anna
