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Diamante Garden

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306 East 118th Street
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Lost Gem
Rodale Pleasant Community Garden 1 Gardens undefined

Rodale Pleasant Community Garden

Shadowed by the leaves of a weeping willow is hidden a little oasis in the city. As I entered, I was greeted by the sight of neatly organized rows of boxed-in garden plots, and a path through the middle decorated with cobblestones. There were overhanging vines, and stray cats sunning themselves among the cabbages and the squash. On either side, of the garden were concrete walls. The Rodale Pleasant Community Garden was built from a vacant lot in 1998, so we learned from Sandy, a member at the community garden who proudly showed us her piece of land. It was Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project that is responsible for enabling this piece of land to be turned into the garden. When Ms. Midler learned that vacant lots were going to be sold, she "came in with lots of money, and said that she wanted to save the green, " Sandy recalled. Today, Rodale boasts a membership of close to fifty. They not only come from the neighborhood surrounding the garden, but men and women travel from Lower Manhattan and Midtown to care for their small piece of land. There are eighteen lots where the community is invited to plant vegetables and or flowers while also putting in four hours every month to water the plants and to maintain the garden's appearance. Together they work to cultivate a community of active gardeners in a place where nature is scarce. Sandy told us that everyone begins planting in spring, and within a few weeks, there is an abundance of food for them to eat throughout the season. Looking around, we saw signs of zucchini, tomatoes, lettuces, mint, basil, peppers and okra. Amazed at the variety, and commenting on how my husband and I could never grow anything like this when we lived in Westchester because of the deer and rabbits, Sandy laughed and said, "Here, it is whole foods for the squirrels, deer are the issue in the suburbs. "Some would say the charm of Manhattan is in its people. Some would say it is in its innovative, forever-changing spirit. Some still would disagree and say it is in its constancy. To Sandy, and many of the urban gardeners on 114th Street, the charm of Manhattan is in its gardens and green spaces. "It is a lifeline... a gift, " said Sandy, "to be able to garden, and vegetables are my thing. "

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Lost Gem
Lee Lee's Rugelach 1 Bakeries undefined

Lee Lee's Rugelach

After I had been sitting for a while by the window in the front room drowned in red floral prints and warm smells, Amanda, the young lady serving customers behind the counter, led me through the red door into the kitchen. Lee, his son, and another employee stood together, working to finish another tray of Rugelach. There was an unglazed chocolate cake beckoning like a temptress from a table nearby, the scent of apricot and dough about to be baked filled the air, while the whirring of the freezers echoed in the background. "This is where the magic happens, " Amanda declared. Well, after tasting several of Lee Lee's famous Rugelach – a Jewish flaky pastry dough rolled and filled with a variety of fillings including nuts, chocolate and jams - I can confidently state that there is magic involved. Alvin Lee Smalls came to New York from South Carolina when he was twenty years old in 1962 and found himself working in the kitchen, of New York Presbyterian Hospital, peeling onions. He remained there for many years, learning the ins and outs of the kitchen and cultivating a love for cooking that would carry him through much of his life. While speaking with Lee, I learned that it was on Christmas day in 1987 that he decided to bake Rugelach for the people at the hospital from a recipe he had found in the newspaper. Lee's take on Rugelach was met with wild approval from his co-workers, and his destiny has been tied to the pastry ever since. In 2016, Lee proudly told me that he makes about 700 Rugelach a day and even more for the Jewish holidays, when he works around the clock to supply his customers with his delicious desserts, all made by hand, all made with love. In addition to the Rugelach, the bakery offers incredible cakes, danish, and cookies. I sat with Lee for quite some time listening to his stories, while also observing the steady flow of customers that continued to march in and out of the screen door. Some were regulars who Lee greeted warmly, while another astounded me by saying that despite living in the neighborhood for years, she had never bothered to drop in. After sampling some of Lee's Rugelach, however, she announced, emphatically, that she would definitely be back. "People are just so surprised that this black man makes Jewish pastries! " Amanda told me. "I love sweet, " Lee said and added a piece of advice to live by, "but if you're going to eat something sweet, eat the good stuff. "