When I lived in New York in the late 1980s and early 90s, I was scared of anything north of 96th St. Cautiously, I might walk up Broadway to Columbia…. but I remember standing on top of Morningside Park and looking across the valley of Harlem with dread.

This week I am visiting a relative who is hospitalized in Columbia Presbyterian at 168th St. I have to drive into the city every day and find a place to park around Washington Heights. To my surpise, this neighborhood, populated by many Dominicans, also has a beautiful collection of late 19th and early 20th Century architecture. There are those cliffs overlooking the Hudson and a view of the George Washington Bridge, many parks, statues, squares and ornate apartment houses. Broadway is full of small bodegas, street vendors, barbers, hardware and video stores. Street toughs hang out on the sidewalk, but they seem to exude more bark than bite. Music is playing and the city is full of life.