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