MY NEW VIDEO: THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD- Carnegie Hill ( one of several old nabes I will visit)

"Nostalgia is the past misremembered," my old friend Scott used to say...I am not so sure I would be so dismissive...

I lived in Carnegie Hill ( or at the bottom of it) on the East Side for ten years and then moved out 14 years ago.

This being NYC, I was geniunely curious to see how much things had changed ( not that much)--more expensive, of course

Well, I knew Robert the Russian barber ( place called Svetlana's-- Lana and Robert do hair for both men and women....they have moved about three times since I first discovered the place back around 2001) ..first time they had to move was because of the Dad-blamed idiot 2nd Avenue Subway Project, one of the worst fiascoes in NYC History... ( typical they don't know how to build a subway in NYC any more...they blew up sections of 2nd Avenue; the drilling drove out thousands of rats from underground who came swarming up all over; they still have no idea when this damn boondoggle or whatever you want to call it will be finished..)

The wonderful Esplanade along the East River is as nice as ever...hmm...not that much has changed ( of course, there was awful flooding along here following Hurricane Sandy)

I came mostly to have my hairs cut by Robert, who is a great guy and really knows what he is doing with a scissors...Lana there is a real sweetheart... (Svetlana's is the name of the place)..on 3rd Avenue now between 91st and 92nd Street...look at their Yelp reviews, most people love the place ( some weirdo who calls himself "The Doctor" and seems to spend most of his time going around finding places to put down on Yelp---did not like the place but then he is the kind of person who I feel should write fewer Yelp reviews ( he "discovered" the Central Park Reservoir in one..I mean, who writes a Yelp review about Central Park? It is beautiful like everything Olmstead did...this guy will probably next " discover" the Chrysler Building ( "Hey, check it out! It's cool!")

Should write fewer reviews and Get a Life if you ask me

Here I am with my haircut, -- I am frowning not because I don't like it but because I am hoping the camera doesn't jam up on me again ( the really cold weather is playing hob with my camera and these videos--the batteries go in nothing flat for some reason)

One of the typical changes of the area is the incredible increase in the cost of real estate and apartments...

I remember when I first read Barbara Corcoran had put searchlights in front of one of these old townhouses in Carnegie Hill ( balloons, too) for an open house...( they wanted $10 million for it back then, I am sure it is twice that now)...Sheesh...My old tenement building on East 94th Street is of course done over in  a swell way ( probably have even installed an elevator)...

At the top of the hill is the City's  Best "Y", the 92nd Street Jewish one, which also is famous for its fantastic "amenities" ( saunas, steam rooms, big hot tubs, more hot tubs poolside...first big Ozone cleaned pool in the City...I had a neighborhood discount membership ..costs an arm and a leg now)

Oh yeah, this "Y" also is known for all its cultural events, book readings, seminars...classy, indeed

Oh well, bid a fond farewell to Carnegie Hill which is aging better than I am ( maybe I will play and win the lottery and gentrify myself...ha ha...in my dreams)

Lot worse places to live, you can bet...that's why it was "discovered" by Shark Tank Real Estate Mogul Corcoran etc.

Even has a beautiful Mosque as well as a lot of other great houses of Worship...( Yes, unfortunately the imam of the Mosque skipped town after Sept 11 with the FBI hot on his heels)

By the way, Carnegie Hill has nothing to do with the Carnegie Deli, another NYC Institution.... ( Hill got its name for old Andy Carnegie's mansion that used to be at the top)

Guess you can and then again " You can't go home again"..

Next time: Fourth Avenue down in the East Village, another hair raising gentrification story

Oh yeah, the Video:

http://youtu.be/olaZbErHwso