☞ REMEMBER: J.D. Salinger of Harlem

Acclaimed writer J.D. Salinger passed away this week and many of the papers have been writing about his relationship to New York City but most of them only give a nod to his original childhood nabe: Harlem. We mentioned J.D. Salinger's works a couple of times last year since many did not know that one of America's most famous writers was born in Harlem. The year was 1919 and the Salinger family lived right across from Trinity Cemetery in West Harlem. The young family would represent what was then a majority ethnic white Harlem which was mainly Jewish and Irish in some parts. Until about 1928, the Salingers would move (this year would correspond with when the great migration of African-Americans would start to shift Harlem's demographics) down to the Upper West Side and this area would then be the focus of much of his writing. More recently, the famous Glass family from his novels showed up in the film called the Royal Tanenbaums which coincidentally was filmed in Harlem. Read more about it in our past post: LINK.

☞ WALK: J.D. Salinger's Childhood Home

On the southwest corner of Broadway and 153rd Street sits a castle like apartment complex that has the distinction of being the home of writer Jerome David Salinger for the first nine years of his life. Overlooking historic Trinity Cemetery, this prewar building at 3681 Broadway would have been considered one of the new luxury elevator complexes of its time. The terracotta battlements at the top and all the cast iron details have still held up through the years at Halidon Court and it's probable that the interior is pretty intact. There is no indication of the famous writer's connection to the building on the facade but maybe that will change soon now that he has passed away. The nearest subway to this location is the 1 train at 157th Street. See our past post on J.D. Salinger: LINK. All photos by Ulysses

☞ READ: Nine Stories

The famous novel Franny and Zooey has its roots in a collection of tales called Nine Stories, featuring J.D. Salinger's alter ego family, the Glasses. Salinger was born on New Year's Day in 1919 in Northern Harlem, which then became less desirable for the Jewish families that moved there. A year after young Jerome David's birth, the Salingers moved to West 113th Street and then eventually to Upper West Side in the low 80's, always striving for a better life. While Salinger had his fictional family move even further from its roots to the tony Upper East Side, the movie The Royal Tenenbaums -- a modern take on the Glass Family -- was filmed on location in Harlem.

EAT: KOREAN HOME COOKING AT THE MILL

Harlem Bespoke: We noticed this weekend that beloved local Korean restaurant The Mill has made it through the pandemic shutdown of the past year.   The former Mill Luncheonette on Broadway by West 113th Street was previously a famous Morningside Heights greasy-spoon Jewish diner that was included within the books of JD Salinger.  Now called The Mill, the restaurant switched ownership since 1986 and has been a quirky part of West Harlem since it converted into a Korean restaurant back then. Decades later, Korean cuisine is the big trend for New York City but uptown already had its own specialty Asian eatery before most other neighborhoods.  The mill currently only has takeout & pickup service now for those who want to check it out this week.  Read more about The Mill in our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2021

☞ REMEMBER: The Glass Family

Harlem's literary mix and match update. J.D. Salinger's Glass Family appeared in numerous short stories and made it to the big screen in the incarnation of The Royal Tenenbaums, mixing old school 70's aesthetic with a classic Harlem neighborhood. Harlem's Hamilton Heights provides the backdrop, and the famous row of gabled townhouses can be seen on the left of the top photo. Another classic not shown in the movie but mentioned in the short stories is The Mill Luncheonette, an old Morningside Heights greasy-spoon Jewish diner. Now called The Mill, the restaurant has switched ownership and has been a quirky part of West Harlem since it converted into a Korean restaurant that still includes egg cream sodas and lime rickeys on their menu. Read more about Hamilton Heights in northwest Harlem and The Mill in West Harlem from previous post.