Walking around Manhattan on a regular day can be challenging but when it is 93 degrees outside it can be daunting. Thank God most of Hell’s Kitchen was shaded or else I would never have made it. For such a warm day, it was not as humid as I thought it would be or else I just did not notice. I knew by the end of the day I was exhausted. I did walk over a hundred city blocks.
I started my morning at the Museum of Modern Art at 11 West 53rd Street for a private members morning reviewing the new “Cezanne Drawings ” exhibition. It was interesting to see how progressed his works from sketchbook to the final painting. What I liked about the exhibition is how the curators mounted it. Each of the set of drawings lead up to the finished work so you got to see the different perspectives that the artist was trying to achieve with each of his paintings.
The Cezanne Drawing Exhibition at the MoMA at 11 West 53rd Street
What I like best about being a member of the Museum of Modern Art is that it gives you time to see all these interesting exhibitions with a limited crowd. When you are with other members, you can tell that they really want to be there and have the same open-minded approach to the works whether they like them or not.
Some of the sketches I could see where the artist, Paul Cezanne, was trying to go with the work and the changes he made along the way to the finished painting. You could see the movements and detail in each page and how he adjusted it. It was nice to be in the mind of an artist who died over a hundred years ago.
One of the unfinished sketches from the pages of the Cezanne’s sketch book
Artist Paul Cezanne
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_C%C3%A9zanne
Mr. Cezanne was a French Artist who influenced in Post-Impressionism who studied at the Free Municipal School of Drawing and the University of Aix studying Law and Drawing.
After I toured the exhibition, I visited a few others that were going to close soon. I walked through the “Embodied Sensations” exhibition and admired the modern graphics along the walls and floor. Then I just wondered around the museum cooling off.
I started my walk of the border of Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton at the corner of West 59th and Ninth Avenue at Amore Pizza Cafe at 370 West 58th Street. Even though I had a large breakfast, I was starved by the time I got here (see review on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com). Because it was the weekend and most of the calzones and pizza rolls are made ahead of time, the choices were limited. I was surprised they would not make one fresh.
Amore Pizza Cafe at night at 370 West 58th Street at Ninth Avenue
I settled on a Pepperoni Roll ($5.95), which was an excellent choice. This version of a rolled personal pizza was studded with layers of spicy pepperoni and baked with a garlic butter topping and then served with a spicy tomato sauce. I have not had one of these in years and it was delicious (see my review on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com). Each bite into those layers of pepperoni had a salty/savory flavor and was the perfect lunch for a long day of walking.
The Pepperoni rolls here are amazing!
After lunch was over, I traveled down West 59th Street to the Hudson River. It had been months since I had walked in this part of the neighborhood. I visited here in September of 2018 to finish the Borders and Streets of the lower part of the Upper West Side. In that time, several buildings had been completed and new playgrounds had opened up.
The Border of the Lower Part of the Upper West Side Day One Hundred and Twenty-One:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/7845
Since I was walking within the shade, the heat was not as bad as I thought it would be. Plus the breezes off the Hudson River were a pleasure. As I walked down West 59th Street, it was like visiting old friends.
As I walked back down to West 59th Street, I crossed the street to a popular park. Near the local school is Gertrude Ederle Playground which sits next to the Gertrude Ederle Recreation Center. This park stretches from West 59th to West 60th Street and is a very popular park with the areas families offering many whimsical playground jungle gyms and swings and a very nice field for soccer and baseball. It also offers a very nice public bathroom that is nice to have when walking around the area.
Gertrude Ederle was a champion Olympic and distance swimmer, who was a member of the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. She set over twenty world records in swimming in the early 1920’s and won a gold medal for the 400 meter freestyle relay. She swam the 22 mile harbor swim from Battery Park to Sandy Hook, NJ in a record that stood for 81 years. She also set the record for crossing the English Channel as the first American woman and received a ticker tape parade when she returned. She also appeared as herself in the 1927 romantic comedy ‘Swim, Girl Swim’. She continued to swim by teaching deaf children to swim (she had lost her hearing at this point) and lived to ripe age of 98 passing in 2003 (NYCParks.org).
Gertrude Ederle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Ederle
Across the street from the park is the former IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit) Powerhouse at 840 12th Avenue. This ornate building was built in 1904 and takes up the entire area from West 59th to West 58th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues. Designed by architect Stamford White, the building is used by Con Ed of New York to supply the New York Steam system. It is designed in the ‘Renaissance Revival’ and really walk around the building you can see the beautiful details of the building especially around the building . It was recently declared a Landmark Building in New York (Wiki).
IRT Powerhouse at 840 12th Avenue
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRT_Powerhouse
Walking across the street, I was greeted by the beauty and elegance of the new complex, One Waterline Square, which was behind fencing the last time I visited the neighborhood. The finished complex was simmering in the sunlight and in the middle of the complex is the energetic Waterline Square Park.
One Waterline Square
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterline_Square
The tiers of the park were very interesting as stairways lead to different levels of the park with fountains and trees and water features that shot up every few minutes with loads of kids and their parents screaming at each plug of water. This is when it is fun to be a kid.
The park was designed by the New York architect group, Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects. This creative women-owned firm who uses a cumulative and holistic image for each project using designs that are insightful and artful as well as performative (MNLA Mission Statement)
One Waterline Square Park
https://www.mnlandscape.com/projects/waterline_square
Waterline Square Park is one of the most unusual parks that I have seen in the City since walking Battery Park City. The park has almost a Dr. Seuss effect to it with its interesting plantings, bridges and water features in all directions. It also has plenty of seating to relax and enjoy the cool breezes. All this packed in between three elegant buildings. It was fun just watching everyone have a good time.
I sat in the park for a while just trying to cool off myself as the weather got warmer that day. It was nice to sit under a tree and relax. I could believe how this whole area of the City had transformed itself from just a couple of months ago. From behind the fencing came this magical city of glass and green space.
I walked down to the extension of Riverside Park and walked the paths along the Hudson River. I had not been here since I did the Great Santier Walk. I love the cool breezes and views of the river from the park. The City did a good job on this extension of the park giving the West Side of the island the green space it needed.
Both from the street and from the paths, you get beautiful views of the cliffs on the New Jersey side of the river but still engage it via the various piers that you can walk on that jut out into the river. When you reach West 59th Street, Pier 96 and the Hudson River Pier and the boat basin giver great views of the Hudson River.
I walked around the park and saw an unusual sculpture in the shape of a bottle. The public art piece ‘Private Passage’ by artist Malcolm Cochran is a unique sculpture in that what appears to be a ship in a bottle is actually a replica of a stateroom in the Queen Mary all done in metals. At night and in bad weather I read that the piece is illuminated.
‘Private Passage’ by Malcolm Cochran
Malcolm Cochran is an American artist and former Art Professor at Ohio State University. A graduate of Wesleyan College, Mr. Cochran has had many solo and group shows since the 70’s and has created numerous works all over the world. ‘Private Passage’ was created for Hudson River Park in 2005 and is an engaging piece of art where the visitors have to look inside the port holes to see the art inside the bottle. It is very clever.
Malcolm Cochran artist
Home
Turning back to Twelve Avenue, I stopped to stare at another new favorite building of mine, Via 57th on the corner of West 57th and Twelfth Avenue. This glimmering pyramid of glass stands out amongst the box structures in the neighborhood with it triangular shape and reflections of the sun and the river. It brings an elegance to the newly planted park and changes the makeup of the buildings by the river giving it futuristic look to the Hudson River.
Via 57th along the new Hudson River Park at 625 West 57th Street (Via 57)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VIA_57_West
This residential building is in the shape of a pyramid or “tetrahedron” looking ‘almost like a sailing vessel going across the river’. The tiered gardens and slopped space integrates with the surrounding park and river. The building was designed by Danish architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group and by its founding architect Bjarke Ingels (Wiki).
I walked past the back of Dewitt Clinton Park at West 54th Street to West 52nd Streets where the whole back of the park was under reconstruction.
I made my way down the greenway past all the piers where there were people sunning themselves on the grassy lawns. There was not a lot of people gathered around Pier 86 where the Intrepid Museum was located. I was not sure if it was open yet or not. Pier 83 where the Circle Line rode off from also looked quiet. In a normal year, these Piers were really busy.
The Intrepid Museum at Pier 86 is just reopening
http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/
The Circle Line at Pier 83 just reopened as well
https://www.circleline.com/?locale=en
Because tourism was just coming back to the City since the reopening of most activities, there were no lines or crowds of people around and the few people walking around we walking up to gates to ask what the status was of the activity. It was very different when I took the Circle Line for my birthday present to myself and saw the island of Manhattan from the water. It is just as beautiful and interesting from the water as it is from the land.
Day One Hundred and Forty Seven-Touring the Circle Line on my Birthday 2019:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/10649
I exited out of the park to West 42nd Street and Twelfth Avenue and the foot traffic was light. There were those few people milling around the neighborhood that lived there but with the lack of tourism this part of Manhattan is quiet during the day.
I had not walked down this part of West 42nd Street in a long time and had not noticed the changes that have had happened over the years. I had missed River Place at 650 West 42nd Street and Silver Towers at 620 West 42nd Street when I last walked around this part of the neighborhood. These large apartment complexes do break up the once warehouses and office buildings that dominated the area.
What stood out to me was right smack in the middle of these two complexes and that was Tom Otterness Playground at 630 West 42nd Street. This space of green reminded me of the creativity in playground design that I had seen earlier in Waterline Square Park. Combining small space with creative design to produce a whimsical park for families. It was such a nicely landscaped park and a relief from the heat. I loved the beautiful and artsy playground which is a testament to Tom Otterness’s approach to playground design.
Tom Otterness Playground jungle gym structure is whimsical
Artist Tom Otterness
Tom Otterness is an American artist who studied at the Art Student League in New York. His work is known as ‘whimsical and fun’ but also sends a message and tells a story.
Please watch the video on artist Tom Otterness
The Silver Towers is a twin residential set of towers that stand tall in the neighborhood and set the tone for the new residential section of this side of the West Side. Their brilliance in design and reception of sun light is interesting. The buildings were designed by architect Costas Kondylis and were finished in 2009.
Silver Towers at 620 West 42nd Street
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Towers
Just a little further and across the street is the sculpture of an unusual polka dot pumpkin in the front of the Sky Building at 605 West 42nd Street by artist Yayoi Kusama. The sculpture sits in front of this elegant glass residential tower in the ever changing neighborhood by the Hudson River. The Sky is a mixed use luxury residential building that was designed by architectural firm Goldstein, Hill & West and was completed in 2016 (Wiki/Moinian Group).
The Sky at 605 West 42nd Street
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_(skyscraper)
The polka dot pumpkin in front of The Sky building is by artist Yayoi Kusama is fun and interesting
Artist Yayoi Kusama
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yayoi_Kusama
http://yayoi-kusama.jp/e/information/
Artist Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese born artist who studied at the Kyoto School of Arts & Crafts and is known for her installments and sculptures but also works in film, performance art and fashion among other mediums and is known for influence in ‘Pop Art’ (Wiki/Artist Bio).
Please watch the video on Yayoi Kusama
As I walked back up Tenth Avenue (the border of this side of Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton), I could see that in the time since my last visit to the neighborhood that more restaurants have reopened and there was more life outside. As the weather has gotten warmer, more outdoor cafes have opened up bringing life to the quiet streets. I reached the border of the neighborhood by the late afternoon.
On the way back up, I stopped at Seguidilla Empanadas at 465 West 51st Street for a snack twice first for a Chicken Empanada ($2.99) and the second time for Country Club soda, a specialty Dominican soda ($1.95). The empanadas here are really good and served with a nice spicy sauce that brings out the flavor of the chicken. The owners kept looking up at me with stares and I kept wondering what they were thinking especially when I came back for the soda.
Seguidilla Empanadas at 465 West 51st Street is a nice cafe
https://www.instagram.com/_seguidilla/?hl=en
Turning the corner on West 59th Street at Tenth Avenue, you will face the beauty of the John Jay College of Criminology Haaren Building at 899 Tenth Avenue. The building is home to many classrooms and the library for the college. The building was designed by Charles B.J. Snyder and was completed in 1903 (Wiki and John Jay College). The building was originally the Dewitt Clinton High School.
John Jay College Haaren Building at 899 Tenth Avenue
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Jay_College_of_Criminal_Justice
Since it was still early in the afternoon when I finished the borders of the neighborhood, I decided to explore the length of Eleventh Avenue from West 59th to West 42nd Street. I was floored by how many auto showrooms are located on this stretch of the avenue from all different manufacturers.
Still here and there are traces of the old neighborhood before all the rebuilding and a few new standouts that add to the Eleventh Avenue fabric. As I headed south down the avenue, I came across the Juan Alonso Community Gardens on the corner of Eleventh Avenue and West 51st Street.
Juan Alonso Community Gardens on the corner of West 51st Street and Eleventh Avenue
https://www.clintonhousing.org/what-we-do/cultivate-hk.php
The Community Garden was named after a local resident and community activist , Juan Alonso, who tired of seeing an empty lot and drug dealers in the area. The vacant lot is now a network of small gardens throughout the neighborhood run by the Clinton Housing Development Company (CHDC).
The garden is attached to an old tenement housing 565 West 51st Street with the interesting carving “St. Mary’s 1887” on the top. This is now affordable housing.
565 West 51st Street
Another hold out of the neighborhood is the Landmark Tavern at 626 Eleventh Avenue. It was opened by Patrick Henry Carly in 1868 and has been a staple since. It is one of the oldest continuing restaurants in New York City (Landmark Tavern History). What is so fascinating about the bar is that at one time it stood on the water’s edge of the Hudson River. It shows how Manhattan has reclaimed land around the island. The restaurant has an interesting bar menu.
The Landmark Tavern at 626 Eleventh Avenue
https://www.thelandmarktavern.com/
When walking back up Eleventh Avenue passing more auto dealerships and showrooms, I came across the Gotham West Market at 600 Eleventh Avenue, a series a small independent restaurants catering to the crowd of residents living in the building and the surrounding neighborhood. The first time I ventured in only three restaurants were open now about half are open but still you can see by the empty or closed spaces that the City still has a ways to go.
Gotham West Market at 600 Eleventh Avenue
https://www.facebook.com/GothamWestMarket/
Gotham West Market
I finished my touring of the neighborhood at Dewitt Clinton Park, which runs along Eleventh and Twelfth Avenues between West 52nd to West 54th Streets and is the biggest patch of green on this part of the neighborhood.
Dewitt Clinton Park at the Eleventh Avenue and West 52nd Street entrance
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/de-witt-clinton-park
The park is a haven for joggers and sports enthusiasts and the Erie Canal Playground is really big with the kids. When I was walking around that afternoon I could not believe the language these kids were spewing at each other. These kids must have been between eight and ten years old and they sounded like truck drivers.
As I walked around the park, I saw from when I was walking around Twelfth Avenue that the back part of the park is being reconstructed and renovated with what looks like new lighting , sidewalks and stairs to be followed by new landscaping. One great attribute is that there are open clean bathrooms later in the evening.
The front part of the park is very welcoming with flower beds, nice signage, comfortable benches to relax under the trees and nice paths. When you enter the park, you are greeted by the statue of a Doughboy from WWI.
The Doughboy State greets you at Dewitt Clinton Park (Clinton War Memorial)
Burt W. Johnson Artist
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Johnson
The statue was designed by artist Burt W. Johnson. Mr. Johnson is an American born artist who studied under noted sculptors James Earle Fraser and Augustus Saint Gaudens. The artist died shortly after the statue had been modeled (NYCParks.org). He studied at Pomona College and the Art Students League of New York (Wiki).
Dewitt Clinton, Politician and Philanthropist
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeWitt_Clinton
The park was name after politician and philanthropist Dewitt Clinton from the prominent Dewitt and Clinton families. Mr. Clinton was the former Mayor of New York, Governor and Senator of New York State. He ran for President in 1812 losing to James Madison and was influential in the building the Erie Canal (Wiki).
I just relaxed in the park for about 45 minutes watching the parents play with their kids and people walking their dogs. It was nice to see people up and about without masks on. The park had some cool breezes from the Hudson River and it was nice to sit under a tree and review my notes. All the large shade trees made it bearable.
I walked back up Eleventh Avenue to West 59th Street early in the evening and tried to figure out where to go for dinner. I had not seen much in the neighborhood and the restaurants close by I was not in the mood for so I decided to go back to Amore Pizza Cafe. So I walked back to Ninth Avenue and ordered dinner and relaxed.
I relaxed over dinner of Linguine with Meat Sauce and a half a loaf ($9.95) and a Coke. If there was ever a dinner I enjoyed more it was that. The meat sauce was incredible and had such a rich flavor (see my review on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com). It was so nice to just sit back and relax. I sat by the window and watched the City go by. It is amazing to watch people walk by and see the world going back to normal. The overload on carbs was helpful after a long walk.
The Meat Sauce at Amore Pizza Cafe is excellent
It is nice to walk around Manhattan and see the City I love so much returning to form to a ‘new normal’. It seems to me that “Hell’s Kitchen” is now just another name of a neighborhood and put its past behind it.
Check out the other blogs on Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton/Midtown West:
Walking the Streets of Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton from 10th Avenue to 12th Avenue Day Two Hundred and One:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/18362
Walking the Borders of Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton/ Midtown West from 10th Avenue to 12th Avenue Day Ninety-Nine:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/18087
Walking the Borders of Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton/Midtown West from 8th Avenue to 10th Avenue Day:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/17414
Walking the Streets of Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton/Midtown West from 8th Avenue to 10th Avenue from West 58th to West 43rd Streets Day One Hundred and Ninety Seven:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/17711
Walking the Borders of Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton/Midtown West Day one Hundred and Ninety Four:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/17414
Places to visit:
Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53rd Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 708-9400
Open: Sunday-Friday 10:30am-5:30pm/Saturday 10:30am-7:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Juan Alonso Community Gardens
West 51st Street @Eleventh Avenue
New York, NY 10019
(212) 736-4536
https://www.instagram.com/juan.alonso.community.garden/
Open: Check their website
Gotham West Market
600 Eleventh Avenue
New York, NY 10036
(212) 582-7940
Gotham West Market
Open: Sunday-Saturday 11:00am-9:00pm/Happy Hours from 3:00pm-5:00pm
Dewitt Clinton Park
Between Twelfth and Eleventh Avenues between West 52nd and West 54th Streets
New York, NY 10019
(212) 639-9675
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/de-witt-clinton-park
Open: 6:00am-1:00am
My review on TripAdvisor:
Places to Eat:
Seguidilla Empanadas
465 West 51st Street
New York, NY 10019
(917) 409-0183/(917) 409-0194
https://www.instagram.com/_seguidilla/?hl=en
Open: Sunday 11:00am-9:00pm/Monday-Friday 9:00am-9:00pm/Saturday 11:00am-9:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Amore Pizza Cafe
370 West 58th Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 581-4200
Open: Sunday-Saturday 10:00am-11:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/2214
mywalkinmanhattan 
‘Hell’s Kitchen’ seems to more a name for the neighborhood and part of its past as there are new changes all the time.
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