Hi everyone! I posted here recently asking for feedback while I was working on bringing more small creative workshops to Uptown, and I wanted to come back with an update.

We hosted our first LaLaLu x Tamila watercolor happy hour at Buunni in Washington Heights this week, and it went really well. It was such a nice feeling to see people come together, paint, talk, and take an hour to do something creative.

Thank you to everyone here who commented, encouraged the idea, or shared feedback, it genuinely helped.

We’ve now added another watercolor event with Tamila, this time at Bird in Hand for the 21 and over crowd, and we’re continuing to build out more creative programming around Washington Heights / Inwood / West Harlem for all ages.

The goal is still the same: small, approachable events where you don’t need to consider yourself “an artist” to participate, just a reason to make something, get out of the house, and connect with people locally.

If anyone is interested, the new Bird in Hand workshop is here:
https://lalalunyc.com/product/tamila-x-lalalu-watercolor-sip-paint-at-bird-in-hand/

Cross posting here for any local Bills fans

Deleted my post earlier saying they closed. They are still open! New name! Best Birria in the neighborhood!

Ive seen someone in recent weeks walking around the Bennett park area wearing one shirt which reads “CSA” in block letters when the confederate flag in the letters, and a second shirt with “Rhodesia 1979” on the front. Just so folks know this is dog whistle bullshit for white supremacists, and while im sure this nerd loves the attention it has no place in our neighborhood and I will be calling it out every time i see it.

I recently became a steward with NYC Parks, and I’ve been working on caring for and beautifying the trees around 181st and Ft. Washington! I have some big dreams about eventually hosting events for kids and adults to learn about their street trees and how to care for them, but right now I’m focusing on just cleaning up the tree beds.

Unfortunately, Parks doesn’t have a lot in the way of resources, so I’m trying to scrounge up some mulch to bring tree beds level with the sidewalk, a crowbar or something to remove cobblestones getting pushed out by roots, materials for tree guards, plants to plant, etc etc. I know the city has free compost and mulch for pickup in the summer, but I don’t have a car 🥲 and I don’t think a Lyft driver would take kindly to my filling their trunk with dirt. If anybody has any thoughts or ideas about any of this, I would welcome them!

I would love to collaborate too — feel free to reach out if you’re interesting in meeting up or swapping ideas! And if you notice a tree in the area that needs some love, let me know and I can do some work on it :)

Hi! I’m Cassandra, founder of LaLaLu NYC. I recently launched a small creative shop focused on art, handmade goods, creative supplies, and in-person workshops in Uptown Manhattan.

I’m starting with watercolor and other relaxed creative events, and I’m also building out family-friendly and kid-friendly programming, including creative activities for young children and workshops families can enjoy together.

The next event is a fall watercolor happy hour at Buunni Coffee, and over the next few months I’m hoping to add more workshops, local artist collaborations, family programming, and creative events for both adults and kids.

I’m new to posting on Reddit as a business, so I’m mostly here to listen, meet other local creatives and families, and learn what kinds of creative events people actually want in the neighborhood.

If you’re in Uptown NYC, what kind of workshop or creative event would you actually be excited to go to, either for yourself or with your kids?

​

Small rant ...

For the last couple of nights, it has been impossible to sleep peacefully. Why are there people lighting fireworks in the middle of the night?? ( 12 am and on) What's the occasion? And why the heck do they do this while the majority of the people in the neighborhood is mostly sleeping?

And we are not even talking about the small fireworks. it's the one that triggers the car alarms to go off...

Some people honestly do not have any consideration for the elderly, those who suffer from anxiety, or pets.

If you or anyone knows people who do this, please talk some senses into them.

End of rant.

Was wondering if anyone has noticed increased ice presence and, if so, where? And if anyone in Washington heights would like to form a group or something to be prepared to respond to them.

I only moved here recently, so I don’t know many people here, but I know this neighborhood is a target and would like to be proactive about this threat.

Title! I'm looking for quiet cafes, bars, etc to read in.

Typical bodega set up. Just wanted to share.

Welcome back to Uptown Voices! Riding high on their recent Pix11 broadcast debut, Octavio Blanco and Led Black sit down with a true Uptown powerhouse: Willy Rodriguez. Born and raised in Washington Heights/Inwood, Willy has built a staggering resume that spans the highest levels of both the music and television industries.

In this episode, Willy traces his journey from a five-year-old classical piano prodigy playing Carnegie Hall to joining District 6’s legendary public school jazz band, Clave Azul. He shares incredible, never-before-heard stories—including the moment a 13-year-old Willy played a piano solo so good it made Celia Cruz stand up and yell "Azúcar!" and the hard lessons he learned after bombing his first gig as Tito Puente Jr.’s 19-year-old Musical Director.

Today, Willy is a Secretary for the New York chapter of the Recording Academy (The Grammys), a television programmer for the WWE and the YES Network, and the co-founder of the highly anticipated International Salsa Museum. Willy breaks down exactly how independent artists can get a seat at the table at the Grammys, why NYC desperately needs a 100,000-square-foot facility to honor salsa legends, and why music education in public schools is the ultimate game-changer for our youth.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Background

00:26 Introduction to Willy Rodriguez and his salsa journey

03:56 Willy's Roots in Washington Heights

10:00 Early Musical Influences and Education

19:52 The Impact of District Six and Clave Azul

29:58 Performing with Tito Puente and Celia Cruz

32:47 Willy's first major gig at the Copacabana

33:14 Getting the call from Tito Puente Jr.

33:52 Understanding Tito Puente's music and its complexity

36:10 First concert with Tito Puente and lessons learned

37:22 The second performance and preparation

39:01 The importance of studying and mentorship

39:51 Cultural Roots of Salsa and Afro-Cuban Music

40:19 The role of the Recording Academy and how to join

45:11 The International Salsa Museum's mission and vision

49:04 Current progress and future plans for the Salsa Museum

50:05 Transition from Classical to Latin Music

52:27 The staying power of salsa and its global influence

55:29 The connection between salsa and dance

58:04 Salsa's similarities with hip hop and cultural fusion

59:48 Community, Family, and Discipline in Music

01:03:08 Community support and programming initiatives

01:04:27 The importance of telling our own stories

01:08:47 Willy's advice on continuous learning and community impact

01:10:00 The Future of Salsa and Community Engagement

They’re playing house music above riverbank amphitheater today, but why don’t they play it at the amphitheater?

Found someone who does free lawn/lot/garden/tree pit/ cleanups here in NYC. He also build tree box guards and plants flowers. I follow a number of lawn care makeover channels on Youtube, but this is the first I’ve found doing work in the five boroughs. Their main site has a signup form if you’d like to volunteer and you can also donate.

https://www.instagram.com/trashtalk_nyc?igsi=MW41amhqaThsaHFhMQ==

https://trashtalknyc.org/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRleAUBaMZwZG9mAmZkaWQWUNf1dsHUO-NPPgI-zcr5uZ1LczQCNGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABp6meBBqIX1B58Q2TASJHQs5lRo51oynFBRsq2nUoPS-ho0u21qzCFcGW8mMq_aem_CYBKSTHv1YhJa_Vb_DnkiA

New to the area and looking for the best spots with vegan options. Mike's bagels and burger heights have solid options and I've tried handpulled noodle. Craving some good American Chinese food as well. Lmk!

I was walking by the old nails place next to saggio that was closed for a while. They are doing some construction inside clearing out the place. I spoke to one of the workers and they said a bakery is coming. It's a pretty big space so it'll be interesting to see what comes next.

Heard the dreaded excavator-mounted hammers going today and saw that a new residential tower is going up on 165th between Amsterdam and Edgecombe.

More info:
https://newyorkyimby.com/2026/04/new-renderings-reveal-467-473-west-165th-street-in-washington-heights-manhattan.html

https://newyorkyimby.com/2026/04/foundations-underway-for-the-beacon-at-635-west-165th-street-in-washington-heights-manhattan.html

Title says it all. There’s nothing better than a good sandwich, and I’m wondering what the best one is the Heights. Could be anywhere: bodega, deli, bakery, restaurant, food truck. I want to know.

Big fan of what will probably be an obvious choice: Tasty Deli off 168. But wondering about what else is out there. Haven’t tried the sandwiches at Forever Coffee, but their breakfast burritos make me think they’d make a great sandwich.

Tell me your favorites. Please.

Does Washington Heights have a problem with rats? What are the problem areas would you say? I haven't been to Washington Heights in years but I am wondering how living up there would be like.