Mrs. Santa Claus On Avenue A, Redux 2

from 12/25/05 post on pseudo-intellectualism
In the picture above we see remnants of an Avenue A on the side of PS158 on York Avenue, between 77th and 78th Street (BTW, PS158 has an extremely attractive assistant principal). From the wonderful forgotten-ny site: "One block east of 1st Avenue is a north-south thoroughfare that goes by different names depending on what part of town you are in. Between East Houston and 14th Street, it's called Avenue A, but further uptown it's York Avenue and other names. As originally laid out on the Randall plan of 1811, it was Avenue A all the way uptown. Obviously, though, things have changed. A stretch of Avenue A, between East 23rd and East 25th Street, was cut off from the rest when Stuyvesant Town and Cooper Village were constructed in 1947. It was renamed Asser Levy Place, for one of NYC's first Jewish settlers. Governor Peter Stuyvesant tried to bar him from the city militia, but Dutch West India Company directors in Amsterdam upheld Levy. The city renamed Avenue A for him in 1954. Between about East 26th Street and East 53rd Street the Manhattan riverside bends inward and there is no room for Avenue A, but it once again appeared at East 53rd and runs north to another inward turn of the East River at East 92nd Street. It is known as Sutton Place, for dry goods merchant Effingham Sutton, north to East 59th Street. Avenue A kept its name from East 59th to East 92nd Streets, until 1928, when it was named for World War I hero Sergeant Alvin C. York, who refused to capitalize on his winning the Medal of Honor, saying "this uniform ain't for sale." He used profits from the 1941 biographical movie starring Gary Cooper to open a school for children of his native Tennessee. One more brief stretch of Avenue A remained to be renamed, east of Avenue A in East Harlem. It was renamed Pleasant Avenue in 1879." Here's another Avenue A slide show from Mrs. Santa Claus.

Mrs. Santa Claus On Avenue A, Redux

from 12/25/05 post on pseudo-intellectualism
This 1996 made for TV Hallmark film is terrific. Great music and dance routines combined with Angela Lansbury and Lower East Side History. It just came out in DVD. I was showing it to Ms. Rabbe's 4th graders in anticipation of their spring 2006 study of immigration. The song, "Welcome To The World Of Avenue A" has you humming the tune for days. There's talk that a revival of it might come to Broadway in the future (Oh Oh, I'm sounding pretty gay, aren't I?-not that there's anything wrong with that) Here's part of the synopsis of the film: "If ever a movie had Christmas written all over it, it is Mrs. Santa Claus. After a long dry spell for musical fans, Hallmark debuted a truly old-fashioned confection complete with hum able songs by Jerry Herman, sparkling choreography by Rob Marshall, stylish costumes by Bob Mackie and sprightly performances by a cast of talented newcomers as well as movie veterans. The film is filled with snow-covered streets, evergreen-draped mantels and enough Christmas spirit to choke Scrooge. Even the names during the opening title sequence have sprigs of holly underneath. Angela Lansbury stars as the title character, a feisty Mrs. Claus who's a little down in the dumps because Santa (Charles Durning) is so preoccupied with the fast approaching Christmas Eve. She wants to help read the mail, but Santa refuses saying it is addressed to him. She lovingly wraps a scarf around his neck and says, "Well, if you don't need me..." Since Santa barely hears her when she tells him she has worked out a faster route, she decides to try it herself. Mrs. Claus has head elf Arvo (Michael Jeter) hitch up the reindeer and with eager anticipation takes off. Unfortunately bad weather grounds them in 1910 New York and Cupid hurts his leg on the landing. She finds a stable and with the help of Marcello (David Norona) boards the deer so Cupid can rest. Like Dorothy opening the door of her house into the colorful land of Oz, Marcello throws open the large stable doors and allows Mrs. Claus (or Mrs. North as she introduces herself) to enter the bustling world of Avenue A." Here's the entire article and here's a slide show I made with part of the Avenue song combined with selected clips from the movie.

Mrs. Santa Claus On Avenue A

This is a better youtube version of a clip posted in December of 2007
the lyrics to the catchy Avenue A song:

Welcome to the world of Avenue A
Where you hear Como Esta, and Bless My Soul and Oy Vey
Rosie Finkelstein and Michael Monaghan are still going steady
Mrs. Brandenheim is yelling out there window, “Breakfast is ready.”
And that’s the way it goes on Avenue A
Where Father Callahan bids Rabbi Hershey, “Good Day.”
People caring their Lasagna and Chow Mein all share the same tray
Part of the great big bouillabaisse called Avenue A
Welcome to the world of Avenue A
Where there’s a family drama playing day after day
There’s a second hand emporium on every corner that I’d walk
Ringelevio and little girls with jacks all share the same sidewalk
That’s the way it goes on Avenue A
Look there’s a pushcart full of bagels coming your way
There’s a rag man with a saxophone
There’s not a tune he can’t play
Part of the great kaleidoscope of Avenue A
That’s the way it goes on Avenue
Where’s there’s a new adventure awaiting day after day
There’s a rag man with a saxophone
There’s not a tune he can’t play
Part of the great kaleidoscope called Avenue A
Angela reprise:
I’ve landed in the world of Avenue A
Where you hear Como Esta, and Bless My Soul and Oy Vey
So a lady from a cold and distance place
A lifetime away
Still can become a part of the world of Avenue A

Happy KV Hanukkah

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2000 Year Old Man Animated

Perhaps a Hanukkah/Christmas present, as the entire collection has just been issued but this article made me wonder about Hanukkah
an excerpt from a David Brooks Times' article of 12/11

Tonight Jewish kids will light the menorah, spin their dreidels and get their presents, but Hanukkah is the most adult of holidays. It commemorates an event in which the good guys did horrible things, the bad guys did good things and in which everybody is flummoxed by insoluble conflicts that remain with us today. It’s a holiday that accurately reflects how politics is, how history is, how life is.
It begins with the spread of Greek culture. Alexander’s Empire, and the smaller empires that succeeded it, brought modernizing ideas and institutions to the Middle East. At its best, Hellenistic culture emphasized the power of reason and the importance of individual conscience. It brought theaters, gymnasiums and debating societies to the cities. It raised living standards, especially in places like Jerusalem.
Many Jewish reformers embraced these improvements. The Greeks had one central idea: their aspirations to create an advanced universal culture. And the Jews had their own central idea: the idea of one true God. The reformers wanted to merge these two ideas.

We Wish You The Merriest

We wish you the merriest, the merriest, the merriest, the merriest to you
We wish you the merriest, the merriest, the merriest, yes the merriest,
We wish you the merriest, the merriest, the merriest Yule cheer,
We wish you the happiest, the happiest, the happiest, yes the happiest,
We wish you the happiest, the happiest, the happiest New Year.
May your tree be filled with happiness, happiness and friendliness for all
May your heart be filled with cheerfulness,
With happiness and cheerfulness and friendliness for all.
We wish you the happiest, the happiest, the happiest, yes the happiest,
We wish you the merriest, the merriest, the merriest Yule cheer,
And the happiest New Year.
The happiest and the friendliest, and the merriest, the cheerfullest,
And the happiest New Year.

Sleigh Ride/The Glenn Miller Orchestra

from youtube

It's been 65 years since the immortal Glenn Miller disappeared just before Christmas on December 15, 1944. His Orchestra, in the too-short run under his personal leadership, had recorded only one Christmas song, ("Jingle Bells," October 20, 1941). Dedicated fans around the world are certain that, had he lived through World War II, he would have recorded a complete album of the best-loved music of the holiday season.
In the 1980s, Richard Wilhoyte, one of the horde of Glenn Miller buffs around the world, heard about the idea of members of the Miller Orchestra recording an album of Christmas songs, His instant reaction: "Let's do itnow!" So the combination of Wilhoyte, Richy Barz, Dale Thompson and John La Barbera came together and took hold. A list of desirable players was drawn up musicians had to be working currently, had to be alumni of the Glenn Miller band, had to have recognized and outstanding talent, had to be able to take a leave-of-absence fro their current "gig," and had to be available to come to New York to record.
In The Christmas Mood was the resulting album from those sessions65 minutes of musical memories, of good cheer, of the most enduring "sound" of the Swing Era Big Bands arranged and performed by alumni of The Glenn Miller Orchestra.
"Sleigh Ride" is a popular light orchestral piece, composed by Leroy Anderson, about a person who would like to ride in a sleigh on a winter's day with another person. The composer had the original idea for the piece during a heat wave in July 1946; he finished the work in February 1948. Lyrics were written by Mitchell Parish in 1950. It was first recorded in 1949 by Arthur Fiedler and The Boston Pops Orchestra. The song was a hit record on RCA Victor Red Seal 49-0515 (45 rpm) / 10-1484 (78 rpm), and has become the equivalent of a signature song for the orchestra. The 45 rpm version was originally issued on red vinyl.
Although "Sleigh Ride" is often associated with Christmas, and often appears on Christmas compilation albums, the song's lyrics never specifically mention any holiday or religion except certain "Sleigh Ride" versions (the Carpenters and Air Supply being examples).