"RE-LIVE YOUR ROOTS"
BEST OF THE BRONX - ALL BRONX REUNION
Welcome to the James Monroe H.S., Bronx, New York Class of 1958 50th Reunion
Luncheon at the Bronx Zoo on Saturday October 11, 2008
Our theme is "Best of the Bronx" and features a reunion luncheon at the nice meeting venue in the Bronx Zoo and several optional pre- and post-luncheon activities - all in the Bronx. We have a group rate for rooms in a new hotel in the Bronx (see #11 below).
1. Friday morning, October 10, 10:00 AM: Walk in the Bronx Botanical Gardens and lunch at the cafe. 20 Henry Moore sculptures are on display throughout the Garden's beautiful 250 acres. We are meeting at the Leon Levy Visitors' Center at the main entrance on Kazimiroff Blvd. Kazimiroff Blvd is the extension of Southern Blvd north of Fordham Road. The main entrance is less than 0.5 mi north of Fordham Rd, where there is a big parking lot. Parking costs $12.00. The Gardens open at 10:00 AM and close at 6:00 PM. General Admission is $3.00 for Seniors, a little more for adults, a little less for children. However, full admission - for those who may want to spend the whole day, see special exhibits, ride the tram, and not go on the canoe trip - is $18 for seniors. Check out their web site: http://www.nybg.org/ for map and info on special exhibits. Dress according to the weather. We will have lunch at the cafe at 11:30 AM and meet for the canoe trip at 12:15 PM.
2. Friday afternoon, October 10, 1:00 PM: Canoe trip on the Bronx River in the Botanical Gardens, led by the Bronx River Alliance. Note: rare and beautiful Bronx River Beaver may be spotted (not kidding). The route is about two miles long from the put-in at 219th St and Bronx Blvd to the take-out just above the waterfall near the Snuff Mill in the Gardens. We should complete the trip before 4:00 PM. The expedition is led by our experienced guide, Michael Hunter, of the Bronx River Alliance (http://www.bronxriver.org/). Only heavy rain will cause a cancellation.
Where to Meet: We meet at the Visitors' Center near the main entrance to the Botanical Gardens (see #1, above) at 12:15 PM. We will double up in cars and drive to the put-in on 219th St. and leave the remaining cars in the parking lot and walk to them (less than one mile) after the canoe trip. There is a $12.00 parking fee and a $3.00 general admission fee for seniors for the Botanical Gardens.
What to bring: Old sneakers that you can still walk in comfortably, hat, snack, water, rain poncho, and a complete set of dry clothes to be stored in dry bag.
How to Register/Pay: If you are going, please e-mail me (greatunc@aol.com) or call me (see below) and let me know. I have to let Michael Hunter know how many are going by next week. Pay Michael by cash or credit card at the put-in on 219 th St. The cost is $25.00 per person. If you have any questions call me at 702-896-4049. Marvin Saines' cell phone number is 702-845-5976. Michael Hunter's cell phone number is 231-392-9035.
3.Saturday, October 11, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM: Luncheon at Bronx Zoo meeting venue. The luncheon is located in the pavilion near the Dancing Crane Cafe. There is a $12 parking fee that you pay in the parking lot. The parking lot is located off of Southern Boulevard in the southwest corner of the zoo. Pick up your tickets at the Group Sales Information Booth.
The pavilion is a covered outdoor area where we will have barbecued hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, salad, etc. After the luncheon I will welcome everybody and then introduce our Keynote Speaker, Ken Lipper. Ken will tell us what happened to him at the peak of his success, and how his Bronx roots and Bronx values helped him get back on his feet. After Ken speaks the floor is open to anybody who would like to relate something about life in the Bronx in the 50s or life at James Monroe High School - perhaps a funny story or a special moment.
DIRECTIONS TO THE BRONX ZOO
BY CAR
From Manhattan’s Eastside: Take the FDR Drive north to the Triboro Bridge (toll). Follow signs to the Bronx and the Bruckner Expwy. Take Bruckner towards New Haven (stay left), after drawbridge exit right for the Bronx River Pkwy north. Take exit 7W for Fordham Road. As you go down Fordham Road you will see the Botanical Gardens on your right and the Bronx Zoo on your left. Stay to your right and you will go up a slight ramp to the intersection for Southern Boulevard. Make a left at this light and continue on Southern Boulevard. Just before the fourth light, you will see a Dunkin Donuts on your right The Southern Boulevard entrance is on your left. You can make a left at the fourth light to loop around to the entrance.
From Manhattan’s Westside: Most direct route:Henry Hudson north to the Cross Bronx Expwy East (I95). Once on the Cross Bronx, take exit 4B and follow signs to the Bronx River Pkwy north (you’ll be bearing left after the I95 entrance ramp). Take exit 7W for Fordham Road. As you go down Fordham Road you will see the Botanical Gardens on your right and the Bronx Zoo on your left. Stay to your right and you will go up a slight ramp to the intersection for Southern Boulevard. Make a left at this light and continue on Southern Boulevard. Right before the fourth light, you will see a Dunkin Donuts on your right The Southern Boulevard entrance is on your left. You can make a left at the fourth light to loop around to the entrance.
HOWEVER, the Cross Bronx (I95) can have a lot of traffic, an alternate route, although longer and not as direct is: Henry Hudson north (toll) to the Mosholu Pkwy (Exit 24). After about 2 miles, the Mosholu turns into a local road with stoplights. Follow Bronx Zoo directional signs. At the intersection of the Mosholu and Dr. Kazimiroff Blvd (8th stop light) turn right onto Dr. Kazimiroff Blvd. This turns into Southern Blvd.The Bronx Zoo is approximately 2 miles up on the left, and the entrance can be found at 182nd St. This is the Southern Blvd.
From Westchester:From the Taconic State Pkwy, follow the Sprain Brook Pkwy (*then follow below)From the Saw Mill River Pkwy or I87, take the Cross County Pkwy east (*then follow below)From I684 or the Hutchinson River Pkwy, take the Cross County Pkwy west (*then follow below)* - to the Bronx River Pkwy south - Take exit 7W for Fordham Road. As you go down Fordham Road you will see the Botanical Gardens on your right and the Bronx Zoo on your left. Stay to your right and you will go up a slight ramp to the intersection for Southern Boulevard. Make a left at this light and continue on Southern Boulevard. Right before the fourth light, you will see a Dunkin Donuts on your right The Southern Boulevard entrance is on your left. You can make a left at the fourth light to loop around to the entrance.
From Connecticut:Take I95 south (New England Thruway) to Pelham Pkwy west (* then follow below)Or the Merritt Pkwy south to the Hutchinson River Pkwy south to Pelham Pkwy west (* then follow below)
* Continue on Pelham Pkwy west until you see New York Botanical Garden on the right and the Bronx Zoo on the left. Stay to your right and you will go up a slight ramp to the intersection for Southern Boulevard. Make a left at this light and continue on Southern Boulevard. Right before the fourth light, you will see a Dunkin Donuts on your right The Southern Boulevard entrance is on your left. You can make a left at the fourth light to loop around to the entrance.
From New Jersey (the Bronx Zoo is only a few miles from the GW Bridge):Most direct route:Take any of the major highways (I95/NJ Turnpike, Garden State Pkwy, I80) to the GW Bridge.Once across bridge follow signs to Cross Bronx Expwy (I95) (* - then follow below)Take Cross Bronx take exit 4B and follow signs to the Bronx River Pkwy north (you’ll be bearing left after the I95 entrance ramp) (* - then follow below)
* Take exit 7W for Fordham Road. As you go down Fordham Road you will see the Botanical Gardens on your right and the Bronx Zoo on your left. Stay to your right and you will go up a slight ramp to the intersection for Southern Boulevard. Make a left at this light and continue on Southern Boulevard. Right before the fourth light, you will see a Dunkin Donuts on your right The Southern Boulevard entrance is on your left. You can make a left at the fourth light to loop around to the entrance.
From Brooklyn, Queens or Long Island:Take any of the major highways (L.I.E., Grand Central, Van Wyck, BQE, Cross Island) to the Whitestone Bridge. Once across bridge, take the Hutchinson River Pkwy north.Exit the Hutchinson River Pkwy at Pelham Pkwy west (approximately 2 miles up)Continue on Pelham Pkwy west until you see New York Botanical Garden on the right and the Bronx Zoo on the left. Stay to your right and you will go up a slight ramp to the intersection for Southern Boulevard. Make a left at this light and continue on Southern Boulevard. Just before the fourth light, you will see a Dunkin Donuts on your right The Southern Boulevard entrance is on your left. You can make a left at the fourth light to loop around to the entrance.
BY SUBWAYTake either the #2 or #5 train uptown to East Tremont Ave/West Farm Square. Exit to the left, through the turnstile. At street level, walk straight ahead (follow train uptown) on Boston Road 2 1/2 blocks to the Bronx Zoo gate. This is the Asia entrance (Gate A).
To avoid the long stairs at East Tremont Ave station you can take the #2 train to Pelham Pkwy. which has an escalator. However this is a longer walk to the zoo. From the Pelham Pkwy. station exit to the right off train and again at the token booth. Once on the street walk straight on White Plains Road 1 block to Lydig Ave (you’ll be walking past the stores and away from Pelham Pkwy). Make a right on Lydig Ave. At the intersection of Lydig and Bronx Park East make a right, then a quick left on Boston Road at the stoplight. The Bronx Zoo entrance is directly ahead, after the underpass.This is the Bronx River entrance (Gate B).
From Brooklyn or Queens, please refer to the MTA web site for connections.BY BUSIn the Bronx, both the Bx9 and Bx19 routes have a bus stop at our Southern Blvd. Gate. This stop is located at 183rd Street. The Bx12 and Bx22 can also be taken to Fordham Road and Southern Blvd. You must then walk 5 blocks south on Southern Blvd (the Zoo will be on your left) to the Southern Blvd and 183rd Street entrance. These buses all take you to the Southern Blvd entrance (Gate C).From Queens you can take the Q44 to 180th Street and Boston Rd. You must then walk north (take a right on Boston Rd.) one block to the Bronx Zoo entrances.This is the Asia entrance (Gate A).
The cost is $55 per person. This includes the site or entrance fee ($25), the luncheon ($25), plus tax rounded up to $55. Any money left over will be donated to the JMHS Alumni Association for student projects.
You are welcome to bring your children/friends to all or any of the activities to show them your roots in the Bronx.
Send checks made out "JMHS 50th Reunion" to Marvin Saines, 1587 Figueroa Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89123.
Checks are 100 % refundable.
4. Saturday afternoon, October 11: Walk in Bronx Zoo.
5. Saturday evening, October 11: Dinner at a restaurant on Arthur Avenue ("Little Italy"). Join us for dining at Mario's Restaurant. Mario's has been in the Migliucci family since 1919 and was the winner of the 2000 James Beard Award. An episode of The Sopranos was filmed there. It is located at 2342 Arthur Avenue, between 184th and 186th Streets. They take reservations (please make them soon as they can be quickly sold out for a Saturday night weeks in advance). Couples, groups of couples, and families, just make your own reservations. For "singles" if you would like to join Joe Pundyk and Marvin (Nick) Saines at our table e-mail Nick. The phone number for Mario's is 718-584-1188. They have valet parking.
6. Sunday morning, October 12, 9:00 to 10:00 AM: Tour of Monroe High School. Park in the Monroe parking lot south of the building on Boynton Avenue.
7. Sunday morning, October 12: Drive through the old neighborhoods in private cars. We will double up in cars according to neighborhoods and drive the streets we walked and played on over 50 years ago. .
8. Sunday afternoon, October 12, 1:00 PM, lunch at Le Refuge Inn, City Island. We have reservations for lunch at the Le Refuge Inn, 586 City Island Avenue. Lunch/brunch is $25.00 per person. Our delicious choices are vegetable quiche and salad, poached eggs with smoked salmon and spinach, and a vegetable omelette. Please call them to make a reservation. The phone number is 718-885-2478. The Inn is located on the left after you cross the bridge, across from the Seashore Restaurant, next to the church. They have a parking lot.
9. Sunday afternoon, October 12: Walk on City Island
10. Sunday afternoon – Pelham Bay Park - if there is enough time, the weather cooperates, there is enough light, and enough interest - after our walk around City Island we can drive to visit the Pell-Bartow mansion www.bartowpellmansionmuseum.org
The mansion-museum closes at 4:00 PM. Then history buffs may want to also visit Glover’s Rock of Indian and Revolutionary War significance.
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/historical_signs/hs_historical_sign.php?id=11599
And, possibly end the day with a walk on Orchard Beach!
11. Hotels
You can stay wherever you want, but we have a group reservation at the new Howard Johnson Inn, Yankee Stadium, 1300 Sedgwick Avenue, Bronx, N.Y. 10452. This hotel is one mile from Yankee Stadium. We have 6 non-smoking room with two beds for $148 including tax, and 18 non-smoking rooms with one king bed for $138, including tax. The phone number for reservations (Group Booking) is 800-654-9122. The Group Booking Number is 59193487. (The hotel phone number is 718-293-1100.)
Other possiblilities include: Le Refuge Inn, City Island (718-885-2478), but it has a limited number of rooms and you have to share bathrooms; the Holiday Inn at Tuckahoe Road in Yonkers; the Marriot and Radisson hotels in New Rochelle.
12. James Monroe High School History
Opened in 1924, the original school ran for seventy years before being shut down in 1994 for poor performance. The original building now houses four smaller high schools - The Monroe Academy for Visual Arts and Design (H.S. 692), The Monroe Academy for Business and Law (H.S. 690), The High School of World Cultures (H.S. 550), and Bronx Coalition Community School (H.S. 680). The building also houses an elementary school, The Bronx Little School.
13. Biographies of Attendees - how to post your bio or read others'
We are using the "Comments" feature on this web site to post the bios. To see the 10 that are posted so far look carefully for the small word "Comments" below and click on it. To put yours on you should e-mail Marvin Saines (see e-mail address below), or if you have a G-mail address, do it yourself according to their instructions. We are interested in reading your bios - how has your life unfolded over the past 50 years since JMHS?
14. "Back in the Bronx" - the Bronx magazine - has a classified ad with this reunion info in it. My e-mail address is wrong but I created a new e-mail address to match their typo. I also requested the revise the Reunion section on their web site. Check out their virtual tour of your neighborhood and the old photographs. http://backinthebronx.com/
15. List of Those Who Are Attending the Luncheon:
Marvin Saines - Las Vegas, Susan (Miller) Urofsky - Gaithersburg, MD, Melvin Urofsky, Camilla (Schwieger) Humphreys - Florence, MA, Richard Humphreys, Joy (Schildkraut) Glaser - Rye, NY, Bobbi (Lewis) Krantz - Manaquan, NJ, Robert Krantz, Joseph Pundyk - Topanga, CA, Marilyn (Moldoff) Bauman - Wilmington, DE, Don Bauman, Madeline (Dasch) Goliger - Milton, ON, Dan Goliger, Marty Kulick - Carmel, N.Y., Barbara Kulick, Cookie (Solomon) Weiss - Riverdale, N.Y., Audrey (Sturman) Stumacher - Rego, Park, N.Y., Martin Stumacher, Caroline (Gassner) Kaplowitz - Roslyn, N.Y., Gail (Markowitz) Goldman -Flushing, N.Y., Francine (Mintz) Schuller - Millington, N.J.,Thomas Schuller, Ken Lipper -NYC, Marion (Drayson) Holmes - West Trenton, N.J., Al Porter Holmes, Arnold Pollack -Oceanside, CA Maria Pollack, Andy Bauman, Pam Bauman, Josh Bauman, Joel Schachter - Lords Valley, PA, Sherry Schachter, Barry Shay - Silver Spring, MD, Stuart Shay - Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Jay Weinstein - Upper Montclair, N.J., Ilene Block, Philadelpia, PA, Carol (Glickman) Tichler - New York City, Jeffrey Held - Mohegan Lake, N.Y., and Sandra (Portnoy) Hirschman - Gastonia, N.C.
16. James Monroe H.S. 50th Reunion Planning Committee
Marvin (Nick) Saines, Chair greatunc@aol.com (702-896-4049)
Judy Schiff judithschiff@aol.com
Marty Kulick mirelee@comcast.net
Richard Bermanmailto:mribrib60@hotmail.com
Date of Last Update: October 7, 2008
