St. Joseph's Catholic Church...Bathgate Avenue & 178th St.
St. Joseph's Catholic School...Bathgate Avenue & 178th St.
Samuel Gompers
Vocational & Technical
High School
Bathgate Avenue Market
Remembering The Old Stoops
Sitting On "Da Stoop" A Favorite Pastime!
Many Hours Were Spent Passing The Time On These Stoops On Hot Summer Days and Cool Nights
Tremont Avenue Trolley 1940
Building where I was born in 1945. 463 East 178th St. & Washington Avenue
Yankee Stadium
"Christmas Memories In New York"
by Len Vivolo
It's Christmas in New York
The memories come rushing back
I see a man in a red suit
And over his shoulder a bulging sack
The traditional trip to Macy's windows
Those moving figures which sang and danced
With children's eyes wide open
In utter amazement they glanced
It's off to Rockefeller Center
All aglow...a 90 foot tree
And all around the ice skating rink
People frolic with glee
A ride thru Central Park
Upon a horse-drawn cart
Two lovers cuddle close
And give each other their heart
Saint Patrick's Cathedral please
You instruct a Cabby for hire
And on every corner the aroma
Of chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Now it's time for the big show
At Radio City Music Hall
Waiting on line you shiver and chatter
As the snow begins to fall
These are the memories
Of Christmas In New York
Embedded deep within my mind
Of which I'll always talk
"Those Bronx Snow Days"
by Len Vivolo
When Fall gave way to Winter
How we loved the snow
Daylight turned to darkness
And the wind began to blow
A sudden hush took over noisy streets
As snow continued to pile
Cars silently slip and slide
After it's been snowing for a while
"Radio Flyer" sleds come out of storage
Time to wax up those gliders
From the top of every hill
Can be seen a multitude of riders
On your mark!...Get set!...Go!
Turn to the left, then to the right
Watch out for those parked cars
Hold on!...It's gonna be tight!
Kids lined up along the path
With snowballs firmly in hand
Taking careful aim
Upon your head they'd land
Almost at the bottom
Onto a bank of snow you swerved
Mom's voice from the third floor yells
"Dinner is being served"
You dash in to the hallway
With radiators all aglow
Mom awaits your frozen hands
With a nice hot cup of cocoa
Ah, the good old Bronx Snow Days
How I long to relive them again
To laugh!...To frolic!...To play!
Oh what joy...just to remember when
" Sample Of Poems On This Web Site "
Library Of Congress Copyright@2000 Len Vivolo
"Ode To The Bronx"
by Len Vivolo
Ah, the good old days in the Bronx
Our borough stands tall
Upon any street or sidewalk
Can be played any game at all
Stick Ball, Curb Ball, Stoop Ball
Points, Hit The Stick and Kick The Can
Listen! Can you hear the horse-drawn cart?
It's The Watermelon Man!
On every corner a candy store
Bonomos Turkish Taffy, Mellow Roll
Mary Jane Bar and Egg Cream too
And don't forget Bazooka bubble gum to chew
The Five & Ten, Butcher Shop and A&P
All just a stones throw away
Alexander's, Cushman's & Sutter's Bakeries
Never to open on Sunday
Halloween with that old sock
Filled with crushed chalk to whirl
The big chase begins
Boy after girl
As snow begins to fall
On a cold dark winter night
If you couldn't believe it
Just look toward any streetlight
As kids rise early next morn
And rush to their radios
Anxiously waiting to hear
That school would be closed
With a snowman in the yard
Red Ryder sleds atop every hill
Snowball fights abound
All firing at will
As spring draws near
And snow begins to fade
Little children study hard
Hoping to make the next grade
Now summer is upon us
We yearn for "The Good Humor Man"
It's so hot and muggy
We all thank God..... for the fan
Let us therefore hold tight to our past
Though gone for now, ask not why
For surely we will live again
In our beloved Bronx....in the sky!
"Bronx Friendships"
by Len Vivolo
The good old Bronx is a special place
Where friendships last forever
And though we've gone our separate ways
Destiny has brought us back together
Tho' many a year has come and gone
With nary a word spoken
The Internet puts us back in touch
A renewal of relationships broken
While old memories are made new
We recall the days long past
And all the things we thought to do
To make our childhood go by fast
Now middle age has made us mellow
We beseech "Father Time" to slow down
Realizing how short and precious life is
Instinct makes us want to hang around
As we share our lives as it is today
The happy reports make us glad
Yet, as reality would have it
Other stories make us sad
So now that fate has drawn us nigh
May the miles never again keep us apart
As we endeavor to stay in touch
From this day forward...Heart to Heart !
Jerome Avenue El at 170th St.
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by Len Vivolo
Cool-Car Wars
Okay, Okay, She Goes, She Goes.......
"These cars are so cool man. I love that buick!" "That ain't no Buick" replies Trixie, "Oh yes it is says Maria, and I love that GTO too." "And that ain't no GTO either says Trixie, you sure don't know your cars." "Then what are they asked Maria?" "I don't know replies Trixie, but they ain't what you say they are."
And so the battle goes on between Trixie and Maria folks. Help them settle this argument once and for all and identify these cars. Just e-mail me with the answers by clicking on the "E-Mail Me" button on the top of this page.
To see more cars from the 50's and 60's, click on the links below.
