When you have been friends with people for almost thirty years, they can still surprise you. My best friend, Maricel, and I have known each other since our first week at the Culinary Institute of America in February of 1996. Since that moment, we have seen each other through the ups and downs of relationships, jobs and the passing of our parents. We have gone through our stages of not talking to each other and yelling matches. The typical things best friends do with one another over years of friendship.
There are those times we surprise one another and right before 4th of July, she surprised both her nephew and I with Afternoon Tea at the Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan.
The lobby of the Fairmont Plaza Hotel
I had not had Afternoon Tea at the Plaza since 1994. I remembered this because it was just after ‘Home Alone II’ was released and everyone was talking about the hotel and its iconic lobby. I remembered the elaborate cakes and sweets and the perfect service. I also remember it being around $85.00 back then. Since that time, The Central Park Tea is now $145.00 and The Plaza Imperial Tea is now $155.00. The times have changed.
The same chandeliers Macauley Cullen saw when walking the hallway in the scene at the Plaza
The iconic scene with President Trump in 1992
For years you used to be able to walk around the lobby at Christmas time but this was before the 2006 renovation and the conversion to apartments. Now they will barely let you through the side door. This wasn’t the case that day. I just walked right into the lobby to the Palm Court.
I met Maricel and her nephew, Miguel, in the lobby and I have to admit even though Maricel works there, we were all in awe of the place. The Palm Court has always been iconic to me even before the film. I have always loved the elegance of the restaurant.
I loved the soaring skylight and all the potted palms. I just remember more of them.
We were at the last seating was at 3:00pm
Trying to figure out what tea we wanted to choose from
We chose one of each which offered a slightly different selection of sandwiches and sweets. Having tea at a New York hotel is not for the faint hearted as the prices start at $145.00 for one person. The Plaza Signature Tea and the Central Park Tea offer their own selection of goodies. The Imperial Tea offered caviar service but thank God I do not like the stuff.
After we ordered, Maricel and I were able to catch up while her nephew played with his cell phone. I had just finished classes and final exams with my Summer I Business class and Maricel found herself getting busy at the Plaza Hotel’s kitchens. She was making the very sandwiches we were eating. We were both exhausted. Then the food came out.
Maricel’s cousin digging into the sandwiches
I loved the assortment of sandwiches and sweets on the tiered trays. It was a delight for both the eyes and the taste buds. There was an assortment of pastries, cakes, scones and sandwiches. I had to move quickly because Maricel’s nephew could really eat! I turned my head and half the sandwiches were gone. The food was as good as it looked.
The assortment of sandwiches, cakes, scones and sweets
The assortment of tea sandwiches
The assortment of pastries and sweets
Me starting to indulge in tea
The Short-rib sandwiches were delicious
The Egg Salad sandwiches with Caviar
It was a really nice and relaxing afternoon. It was one of those things you have to do once when you are in Manhattan. I am lucky to have such a great friend who thought about this wonderful treat. She has been working at the Plaza Hotel for several months and thought I would enjoy coming here again. I have to say I did hint about it a few times.
My host and best friend, Chef Maricel
We had a great time with my best friend and her nephew. It was one of those great New York experiences.
I came across this interesting museum/gallery when I was walking around Coney Island. The museum is a few small rooms located in one of the buildings in Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park. The museum is not related to the Coney Island Museum on Surf Avenue.
The small gallery space has a wealth of information and some interesting artifacts on Coney Island’s history both past and present.
The main room had artifacts and pictures of Coney Island’s past amusement history. There were many photo’s of the old parks, especially Steeplechase Park before its closing in 1965. It shows its development, growth and changes after the 1907 fire that destroyed the park.
There was all sorts of artifacts from that time as well as the former Astroland that was replaced by the new Luna Park. If you know the history of Coney Island, this can fascinating to read.
The second room had the later history when the Island’s amusements fell into disrepair and the whole island seemed to fall apart. The pictures show a very run down Coney Island.
The outside pictures show Coney Island in its heyday when during the 1930’s and 40’s before and during WWII, the island being a place of relief for so many New Yorker’s especially the working class.
The inside of the gallery
The main gallery
The Steeplechase Exhibition
Coney Island in ruin in the 1970’s
The history of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park
The display outside the museum
The mechanical display that sings and dances
The Miss Coney Island robot is a throwback to old technology and campy robotics that is fun to watch. For a quarter, you can take an interesting video with this robot.
The Deno’s Map of the park
The history of the park
The History of the Museum:
(From the Coney Island Historical Coalition website)
The Coney Island History Project’s 2025 exhibition center season begins Memorial Day Weekend with a combination of free indoor and outdoor exhibits. Visitors to the exhibition center are invited to take free souvenir photos with Coney Island’s only original Steeplechase horse, from the legendary ride that gave Steeplechase Park its name, and the iconic Cyclops head from Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park’s Spook-A-Rama, Coney Island’s oldest dark ride.
The real Midway
I took pictures after the Mermaid Parade and showed how busy the amusement section was that day. There is so much potential to update the amusements and modernize the area with new rides and concessions. There is so much that can be done here. I already see new luxury apartment buildings being built and the revamping of the main shopping drag.
I can’t believe its been ten years since I started this project!
I read online all the time of how people say, “I walked every street in Manhattan in one Summer and I got so much out of it!” Sorry folks, I have been doing this for ten years and I have walked every street, park, road, bridge and byway including other parts of the City and outside the City when the City closed for COVID for a decade and I still have to revisit neighborhoods because they keep changing. The City just keeps changing faster since COVID.
Manhattan like the rest of New York City or any City for that matter is like an onion, you have to keep peeling back the layers and you find more than you thought. You always miss something. I had to revisit the entire Upper Upper and Upper West Side from West 125th Street to West 59th Street over the Fall and there was so much I had to revamp on over a dozen blogs. There is so much you miss the first time around that you have to go back again. Then you go “Wow, how did I miss that?”
The starting point of The Great Saunter at Fraunces Tavern in May 2025
Architecture I missed, restaurants have opened and closed and then opened again under new ownership. Museums that needed to be revisited and so much more that was discovered sometimes in just a one block area. How many residents just pass a building or a statue and give it not a second thought. There is so much to see, do and experience in this City and just on the Island of Manhattan. I think it is all fascinating the complexity of it all.
The only way to really get to know a place is by walking around it and experiencing it. I have done this over the last three years with visits abroad to Paris, Prague, Abu Dhabi and Dubai with NYU, especially when I finally had some time on my own to just walk those cities. What I missed on the tour I visited on my own, especially in Prague and Abu Dhabi, when I had the day to myself and I could relax and do. Just having a morning in Paris to myself and having breakfast near my dorm on my own was an eye-opener, especially to the French who could not believe an American could eat that much for breakfast.
Me doing the tourist thing in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris the Summer of 2023 with NYU. Talk about walking a City!
This experience I have also shared in the Tri State area with visits to Philadelphia and Washington DC, walking around Newark, NJ (yes it does have it attributes) and exploring the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut in cities like New Haven, Narrowsburg, Cooperstown, Rhinebeck, Greenwich and exploring the shore towns of Cape May, Seaside Heights and Park, Point Pleasant and Point Pleasant Beach and a complete tour of Long Beach Island towns. There is so much to experience so close to you and each little town has attributes you only experience once you leave the Boardwalk.
I have completed the Broadway Walk from 242nd Street to the Bowling Green over a dozen times and just completed the Great Saunter, the 33 mile perimeter walk of Manhattan for my forth time officially and plan the fifth time unofficially as soon as it stops raining.
On the day of the Tenth Anniversary, it rained all day (it never stopped raining for a week) in the City making walking around the City impossible so I went to the Museum of Modern Art to see some movies that were part of the retrospect that was part of “Pride Week” entitled “Queer and Uncensored”, which was a retrospect of what passed for racy in the 1970’s and 80’s. It is interesting that the MoMA showed what was considered provocative films of that era. I watched some interesting perspectives of art in film.
Honoring a courageous history of liberation and transgression, this major survey of queer film and video includes more than 70 shorts and features by 65 filmmakers. This cinematic celebration of lesbian, gay, and transgender sexuality, love, and activism presents seven decades of pioneering, landmark films and lesser-known or marginalized works.
Guest curators MM Serra, longtime head of Film-Maker’s Cooperative, and Erica Schreiner—both filmmakers themselves—write, “Since the inception of queer cinema, artists have faced censorship and invisibility, a challenge that persists today. Queer and Uncensored showcases a powerful selection of rarely seen, suppressed films that are crucial milestones in the evolution of queer filmmaking. Each program focuses on a topic that is relevant to the development and expansion of queer identity and its diversity. These films explore gender, race, class, sexual orientation, and the emergence of the epidemic.”
After the movies were over, I treated myself to dinner. Then the rain subsided finally in the evening and I decided to revisit a restaurant I had eaten at in post-pandemic in Kips Bay, Anjappar Chettinad South Indian Cuisine at 116 Lexington Avenue. I had eaten here a few years ago right after the City opened after the Pandemic and had wanted to come back to try it again. With some of the restaurants that I have visited lately, it is all about ‘the picture’ (meaning going back to restaurants of the past blogs to take pictures of the meals I had before).
My ten year anniversary dinner at Anjappar Chettinad South Indian Cuisine
This was the exact meal I had in the restaurant five years prior when the City had opened up. Because of COVID, only a handful of us were allowed in the restaurant at one time. As I recall, there were only three of us in the restaurant that night. It was nice to return. The food and service are wonderful here (See my review on TripAdvisor).
The Chicken Marsala is very spicy and wonderful with the bread to soak up the sauce
The Parotta bread is a spiral bread perfect for this saucy meal
The Mango Lassi to cool me down
The dinner was fantastic
The dessert, the Gulobjamun, a sweet rice cake in syrup. Unusual and delicious!
If wasn’t the day I had planned with me wanting to do the Broadway walk but that would be for another day. For tonight I dealt with the rain storm as I did the first day of the walk in Marble Hill on June 15th, 2015 (Father’s Day). It has been a long time since that day and I celebrated walking 2/3rds of the Island of Manhattan.
I will keep walking until I have visited every street, park, and garden until I get to the tip of Battery Park and that includes Liberty and Ellis Islands as well. Along the way, I will be sharing with all of you interesting restaurants and stores while seeing how the City keeps changing. I don’t bemoan things of the past but look forward to things of the future. There is more to come so keep walking with me.
There are more adventures ahead and I want all of you to enjoy them with me.
I have to admit that I have had a love affair with Coney Island since my first trip there at four years old. My parents took us there with our cousins in 1974 and I still remember my first Nathan’s hot dog and crinkle cut fries (which still taste the same fifty years later). I still remember riding Deno’s Haunted Mansion ride (I rode it three years ago and it was still the same cheesy ride) and I always remember all the times I have dipped my feet into that polluted beach (I have only swum on it once). I even wrote my senior paper in both high school and Grad School at NYU on Luna Park with a group of apathetic classmates, some of whom made me do all the work. Yet I still come back for more.
I had not attended the Mermaid Parade since the late 1990’s and had wanted to come back but it was one thing after another just to get down here that weekend. I had to plan it like D-Day almost two months in advance. I started my day early I was finishing my walk of the Avenues of lower Chelsea (this is on a separate blog) and all my classwork, housework and bills were already finished, so my day was open.
The poster for the Mermaid Parade this year
I left early for the City and started my day with breakfast at 9th Avenue Deli at 769 Ninth Avenue, one of my favorite late-night places that also makes a wonderful breakfast. It’s been all about the pictures recently when dining out, so I needed a picture of their special French Toast platter. They make it so good.
The French Toast Platter at 9th Avenue Gourmet Deli is the best
Everything I have ever ordered here has been terrific and the prices are so fair. The platters can feed two people easily and their cooks do such a good job especially at breakfast.
They make enough food for two people to share
I figured a large breakfast would keep me going for the rest of the day. They give you four large slices of French Toast, two Scrambled eggs and four pieces of bacon. It was a great breakfast and enjoyed the meal. I was fine through dinner.
I took the Q express outside of Macy’s Herald Square and got down to Coney Island by noon. I had already checked out the parade route and settled by the Cyclone Roller Coaster and the entrance of Luna Park, far away from the subway entrance. The best part of being by Luna Park you got to see the parade as it turned to the Boardwalk. Plus, I wanted to visit the Aquarium later that afternoon.
Looking down Surf Avenue before the parade
Surf Avenue by the Coney Island Museum and other amusements
The entrance of Luna Park on Surf Avenue before
In some ways, the parade reminded me of the Halloween Parade with all its craziness. The energy level and the excitement just build as the parade starts. The initial part of the parade was the police and the fire departments making a big entrance with all the bells and whistles. They brought a lot of excitement to the start of the parade.
The video of the beginning of the parade with the NYPD and the FDNY opening the parade.
Then a group of skaters followed them and got the crowd all excited as they skated past us. The kids were going nuts over this.
The video of everyone was cheering the skaters when they performed down the street.
About twenty minutes later, the opening of the parade started with music, cheers and well wishes. Stupid me had the perfect view and I didn’t turn my camera on while I was filming the beginning of the parade. This video captures the excitement of the parade as it started.
The video of the start of the parade
I was able to catch my mistake and film the rest. Still the excitement built and it was a grand opening of the parade. The performers and drag queens brought so much creativity and excitement to the beginning of the parade.
The video of the opening of the parade
The costumes and make up were amazing.
The parade turning on Tenth Street right by the Cyclone, which was running every ten minutes with people screaming all the time.
The costumes and floats gave the parade a Carnival atmosphere.
The costumes were fantastic
Everyone really got into it.
Some revelers got really creative
All the floats were so full of energy and the music was great!
Revelers dancing on the floats
The parade goers dancing by the floats were having such a good time on this beautiful day
Mermaids dancing down Surf Avenue
The Jellyfish on display
The Jellyfish dance on Surf Avenue was so much fun.
All I could think about was Shirley Temple singing the “Codfish Ball” when she was a toddler. Funny enough, I think Shirley Temple would have loved this parade.
“At the Cod Fish Ball” with Shirley Temple
The parade continued on with all sorts of dance teams, drum bands and costumed people walking down Surf Avenue. The crowds really swelled as the parade went on and it was tough to maneuver for elbow room.
By the middle of the parade, the crowds kept growing.
The costumes got more and more elaborate. I did not remember the parade like this but then a lot has changed in thirty years. You could tell that people put a lot of thought into their outfits.
A purple octopus leading assorted sea creatures down Surf Avenue
A sea of mermaids
The NY Aquarium had an interesting float
Followed by an assortment of fish
The video of one of the drum lines. It looked like they were having so much fun.
More mermaids walking down the street
Greeting the parade goers
Performances with the Hula Hoop
Jugglers
More mermaids walking down the street
The mermaids greeting parade goers
More bands and costumes
The floats got very elaborate
A video of the puppets joining the parade and led by the L Train band. This reminded me so much of the Halloween Parade in the Village on Halloween Night. It was our version of Mardi Gras!
Some of the Mermaid costumes were so creative
Whole families really dressed up for this
Towards the end of the parade, the energy just got bigger as the party continued to the Boardwalk.
The last of the floats coming down Surf Avenue
This video of the drum line led us down the Surf Avenue and up to the Boardwalk for the ‘Unlocking of the Sea’ ceremony.
The floats had to turn off on Surf Avenue and 12th Street, but the marchers made their way to the Boardwalk and the partying and music continued to make its way down to the Parachute Drop where the ‘Unlocking of the Sea’ would take place. This would open the beaches for the Summer Season (the Summer Equinox was the day before)
I had enough time to grab a Pineapple-Lime ice, and it was the best $5.00 I spent my money on. It cooled me inside and out. These ices vendors have the best desserts!
The parade continued down the Boardwalk to the beach
A video of these festive Mermaids, ‘The Tail Shakers’, who led the way down the Boardwalk who energized the crowds. This is when you have to stop letting the ills of the world get you down and just have fun! With all the craziness going on in the world this was such a fun distraction. Our part of the world was having so much fun. ‘1999’ was such an ironic song for this moment!
The parade led to the Parachute Drop and the Steeplechase Pier where the rest of the service took place at 4:00pm. The ‘Unlocking of the Sea’ was an old tradition on Coney Island. It was to open the beaches at the beginning of the Summer and since the Solstice was the night before this was the first full day of summer. There are old pictures had King Neptune and Miss Coney Island opening the beaches in Coney Island’s past. All I know is that the lifeguard had to keep shooing the crowds away as the excitement built at the cermony.
The key to ‘Unlock the Beaches’
The key and the bands approaching the sea
The Key Ceremony led by the bands
The ‘Sea Unlocking’ at the beach with the beach bathing beauties.
The ceremony was a mob scene and as soon as the ‘unlocking’ was over the crowds started to disperse. This was much to the relief of the poor lifeguard, who must have been glad we were gone.
After the ceremony was over, I walked around Coney Island to get something to eat. Talk about crowded! There were lines everywhere and forget about Nathan’s. The lines were still thirty deep in every direction. Even the little pizzeria by the subway jacked all their prices up and a pizzeria on Neptune Avenue would not let you eat inside. I did not want to be ripped off that afternoon for a meal. I was going to stop in Chinatown on the way back into Manhattan, but I wanted to stay in Coney Island longer, so I explored beyond the area off the Boardwalk.
I finally found a new Chinese restaurant that opened a block from the beach on the Coney Island shopping strip on Neptune Avenue called Famous Rotisserie & Grill at 1525 Mermaid Avenue.
Walking around the Midway trying to find something to eat but every place was packed with people or the prices had been inflated.
Famous Rotisserie & Grill at 1525 Mermaid Avenue was once a Spanish Chicken restaurant
I had a combination platter of their version of Lemon Chicken and Pork Fried rice. The food was good, and the portion size was large. It fit what I was looking for that afternoon (after I had finished, I wished I had gone to Chinatown).
The Lemon Chicken and Pork Fried Rice combination platter
The food was good and they give you a nice portion size for $10.00.
The inside of the restaurant
Their current menu and prices
The one thing that stood out about this late lunch/early dinner was the service. The woman who ran this restaurant was so friendly and accommodating to her customers I was really amazed by it. She catered more to the local resident than to tourist trade.
After lunch was over, I took one more walk around the amusement area before I left for the day. The crowds were still all over the place from the restaurants to the boardwalk. Between the parade, the beach and the weather, it was wall to wall people everywhere. By this point the Aquarium had closed.
While walking through Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park, I came across the small museum, the Coney Island History Project at 3059 West 12th Street, which is inside the park. This small gallery tells the history of the development of Coney Island as an amusement area. From its development to its decline to its current rebirth, the area has had so many ups and downs.
This interesting little gallery/museum tells the stories of various times of Coney Island’s history. The museum displays a variety of artifacts in different points of the island’s history (I have attached several videos that will best explain each section of the museum and of the island’s history).
The outside display of Coney Island in its heyday in the early 1940’s
The front gallery with amusement artifacts
These pieces of former rides show the creativity of Coney Island rides and attractions. This is the nostalgia that visitors remember.
The history of Steeplechase Park, the second major amusement park after Sea Lion Park
Steeplechase Park of the past, the Steeplechase ride for which the park was named after
The history of Steeplechase Park and Luna Park of the past
Coney Island of the 1970’s and decline of the island
This video from the 1970’s contains many of the artifacts that the museum now has on display
The video from the movie “The Warriors” which what many thought Coney Island had turned into in the 1970’s.
Many thought the island of the movie ‘The Warriors’ in the 1970’s and that was not far off but like the rest of New York City, it keeps morphing and changing. It keeps surprising you. Trust me, it is not a Disney theme park.
The history of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park
The Miss Coney Island robot that dances.
Outside of the museum, there were murals on the history of Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park.
The history of the park
The map of the park
As I left the island around 6:30pm, it was time to go. The Freak Bar at Coney Island USA was in full force with revelers after the parade. It looked like everyone was having a good time.
I took one last walk down the Boardwalk at twilight. Coney Island is a pretty amazing place. It still has complexities and wonders. It can be seen from many different aspects. I see the wonder that generations have seen here. Coney Island is not just a place, it’s an idea of the mid and an imagine. While it might never reach the heights it did before the Dreamland Fire of 1911, each generation has their Coney Island memories. I know I do.
Coney Island Boardwalk at the end of the day
CBS This Morning: ‘The People’s Playground’
The day was a lot of fun, and you have to experience Coney Island once in your life if you are from out of town.
After six months of classes and finishing Graduate school, I am finally back to walking the neighborhoods again. This time to finish Lower Chelsea, which has changed from a neighborhood of manufacturing and shipping to one of the now more exclusive neighborhoods in Manhattan. I started my walk at Sixth Avenue and West 23rd Street.
I found the City a little quieter than on other weekends but figured those who get out of New York City were probably at their weekend homes either at the shore or in the country.
The corner of Sixth Avenue and West 23rd Street
I started the walk where I left off last November walking the streets of the Lower Flatiron District on the corner of Sixth Avenue and West 23rd Street. This is the border of the Lower Flatiron District and Lower Chelsea. These neighborhoods overlap so much I am not sure where on neighborhood starts and the other stops.
Much of West 23rd Street over the last several years has been torn down and rebuilt with new apartment buildings or older more historical buildings have been renovated for the same purpose. The neighborhood has become that desirable especially with the creation of the High line Park. The first building that always stands out in the neighborhood is the Chelsea Hotel at 204 West 23rd Street.
The historic Chelsea Hotel at 204 West 23rd Street
The one building that always impresses me is the Chelsea Hotel. This former Residential hotel is now a combination of residential apartments and a traditional independent hotel.
The Chelsea Hotel at 222 West 23rd Street was built between 1883 and 1885 and was designed by architect Philip Hubert from the firm of Hubert, Pirrson & Company. The hotel is designed in the Queen Anne Revival with a combination of American Gothic (Wiki).
The hotel had originally opened as a cooperative and a home to artists and members of the theater community, but the concept changed in 1905 when it reopened as a hotel. The hotel has gone through several management changes over the years. In early 2022, the Chelsea Hotel reopened again as a hotel when the interior renovations were finished.
The historic plaques at the hotel
The hotel has such a celebrated past with all the famous people who have stayed here. I think all the plaques on the front of the hotel don’t even touch the number of well known names who resided here.
The historic plaque
The historic plaque
The historic plaque
This is just a small portion of the famous people who have resided here.
The hotel went through a massive renovation recently and is now open as a regular hotel. Many older residents still live there but as their numbers dwindle that rest of the building will probably become a regular hotel.
At 244 West 23rd Street is a beautifully embellished building in brick and cream colors was built in 1900 by developer Isidor Hoffstadt. Decorations of garlands adorn the windows and top of the building and some of the upper floor windows are surrounded by archways. It now contains twelve lofts with multiple bedrooms (Daytonian in Manhattan).
While the core of West 23rd Street has changed with gleaming new buildings as residential and office space, as you get closer to Eighth Avenue the neighborhood has that classic ‘old New York’ look to it.
Walking down West 23rd Street near Eighth Avenue
I walked the length of West 23rd Street from Sixth Avenue, the border of the lower Flatiron District to Riverside Park. The weather just kept changing going from really sunny to cloudy and rainy the entire time I walked the neighborhood. One comment it was raining and the other it would be dazzling sunshine.
West 23rd Street by Tenth Avenue and the Hi Line Park
At the end of West 23rd Street starts Chelsea Waterside Park and Hudson River Park, which lines the entire side of the Upper West Side. The gardens were at the height of their bloom and it was a beautiful display of flowers.
This was the legacy of the Bloomberg Administration’s ‘Million Tree’ initiative. Between these parks that lined the waterways and the High line Park, it just made the neighborhood more desirable.
Funny how the weather went from sunny to rainy in ten minutes on Memorial Day weekend. By the time I walked to Hudson River Park, it got gloomy again. Still, it did not affect the beauty of the parks and helped water all the beautiful flowers blooming.
The flower beds were in full bloom
The park was in full bloom in the late Spring and was dazzling. Their Friends groups and gardeners are doing a wonderful job maintaining these flower beds.
As I walked the piers, the clouds kept rolling in and out and it sprinkled off and on that afternoon.
Admiring the view as I was waiting for the clouds to clear
The skyline of Jersey City was gloomy and impressive at the same time
Then the clouds broke again and the sun came out. This would be the weather all day long. The clouds then the sun then the clouds then rain and then the sun. It made for an interesting walking day.
The sun finally came out on Pier 57
The view of the Hudson Yards was just spectacular when the clouds passed by
The path led from the Hudson River Park to Pier 57 and I took the pathway through the Pier and all the recreation buildings that now make up the complex. I had never seen it from the river side of the pier.
Pier 57 from the waterfront side of the complex with all the pleasure boats
As I walked through the passageway, I learned the history of the pier and all the famous ships that had docked or left the pier. There was a display of pictures of famous arrivals and departures from the pier that I stopped to read about. It was a interesting look at the past of these piers,
The people at the dock were waiting for the Carpathian to arrive with the Titanic survivors in 1914.
The Carpathian arriving at New York harbor with the Titanic survivors.
The Lusitania leaving New York harbor for its final voyage. It would be torpedoed before it arrived in Europe.
The modern Chelsea Piers of today
Walking down Eleventh Avenue when the rain cleared
Along past the new construction along Eleventh Avenue
For all the building and changes this neighborhood has been through and so many luxury buildings replacing the docks of the past, there is still a little influence of the old neighborhood that still pops up from time to time. The graffiti art is still fantastic all over the City.
Some of the street art on the construction site on Eleventh Avenue
Some of the street art along the fence of the new construction
I followed Eleventh Avenue down the sidewalk to the Food Court at Pier 57. That was interesting with all the sounds and smells of different cuisines cooking.
The Food Court at Pier 57 should not be missed
The Food Court at Pier 57 really has some wonderful restaurants. There is an interesting mix of Spanish, Italian and Asian cuisines in the food court but it can be a bit pricey. The smells are amazing and you could almost taste the spices in the air. The couple of times I have been here the place is always busy.
The excitement of entering the Pier 57 Food Court
The floral decorations in the middle of the food court. I love the decorations here. They are really festive. The only bad part of the food court is the prices are really high so be prepared to spend money on lunch and dinner.
I left my tour of the food court as the clouds rolled in again and I arrived at Little Island Park, one of the newest and most innovative parks in New York City. The whole park is built on this innovative type of piling that come together to create this whimsical park. Something out of “Whoville”.
My trip to Little Island and the Chelsea Market with my NYU class:
At the very corner of the neighborhood was ‘Little Island Park’ at . This very unique structure has been captivating both New Yorker’s and tourists since it was built.
I then took the time to walk all over Little Island. I explored all the paths and stairs and explored all the beautiful gardens and terraces. What views! As the clouds passed by, we had moments of brilliant sunshine and at times it looked like it was going to down pour.
The gardens in full bloom on Little Island
The views from the very top of the terraces as the clouds finally cleared
Walking back down the stairs
The view from the pathway on the way down towards the exit
The view from the exit of Little Island as the clouds rolled by
The rest of the afternoon was on again off again clouds. I crossed over Eleventh Avenue to West 14th Street into the borders of Chelsea and the Meatpacking District (where at this point all the meatpacking companies are gone). In their place now are gleaming new apartment buildings that surround the High Line Park.
Eleventh Avenue at West 14th Street
I crossed the street to see 14th Street Park in full bloom. This park represents this new neighborhood with its gleaming towers and expensive stores. The lawn was perfectly manicured and the flowers were in full bloom. I did not even see any homeless people in the park. Just young couples walking their dogs.
The gardens in 14th Street Park as you cross onto West 14th Street from Eleventh Avenue
The gardens in full bloom at the park on West 14th street
Crossing onto West 14th Street by the Meatpacking District near 11th Avenue
I have been walking around this neighborhood since the 1980’s and talk about change. What used to be buildings that were geared to the docks and shipping, then became clubs in the 1980’s and early 90’s are now lofts and luxury stores. I have really seen this City change.
Walking down West 14th Street
Walking down West 14th Street near the Meatpacking District
Walking in Meatpacking District by Tenth Avenue
This border that Chelsea now shares with the Meatpacking District (which no longer has any more meatpackers) has become one of the trendiest and innovative neighborhoods in the City. Aldo judging by the prices at the restaurants and stores, one of the most expensive.
West 14th Street in the Meatpacking District
Walking down West 14th Street
As you walk further away from the parks along the river coastline and further down West 14th Street, more modern buildings pop up on both sides of the street. Still here and there, details of the old neighborhood still pop up such as at 200 West 14th Street, with its stoic faces and immense detail in the doorway.
The unique sculptures on outside of 200 West 14th Street
The building was marketed with the sophisticated-sounding name “French Flats,” one of the very first of these was built by Jersey City businessman Henry Meinken at the corner of 14th Street and 7th Avenue. Meinken called on James W. Cole to design his new building in 1888. Cole was a favorite of the Astor family and he built several factory, warehouse and apartment buildings for them, several a few blocks west on 14th around Hudson and 9th Avenues (Daytonianinmanhattan.com).
It was completed in 1889 and given the cultured name “The Jeanne d’Arc.” The five-story brick building with brownstone trim had commercial space on the street floor and 8 commodius apartments above — two apartments per floor. To set the building apart from the baser tenements, Cole added an attractive pressed metal cornice and carved brownstone sills and lintels (Daytonianinmanhattan.com).
The street art along West 14th Street was very interesting as well. I loved this version of lady liberty. This was painted outside of a pharmacy.
The street art outside the pharmacy by Artist Shira One
Shiro’s artwork is an exploration of classic New York urban history through the lens of an artist who reveres Hip Hop culture. Her artwork is a prime example of the fusion of Japanese aesthetics and old school New York graffiti art. In 2002, she moved to New York alone, and after living between Japan and New York, she obtained an US American artist visa in 2013, acquired an US artist green card in 2021, and is currently based in New York (Artist Shiro1 website).
Another great mural that sits on the side of a building on West 14th that stands out entitled “Mural on 14th Street, New York” by Brazilian artists brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo known as ‘Osgemeos’. This colorful and engaging piece of artwork towers over the street and shows an exaggerated image of everyday New Yorkers.
The word ‘Osgemeos’ is translated as “the twins” in Portuguese, is a collaborative art duo comprised of twin brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo. It was in the 1980’s with the invasion of hip-hop, and the explosion of Brazilian culture that the brothers began to use art as a way of sharing their dynamic and magical universe with the public. Combining traditional, folkloric, and contemporary elements of Brazilian culture with graffiti, hip-hop, music, dreams and international youth culture, the artists have created an expansive body of work that includes murals, paintings, sculpture, site-specific installations, and video (Lehmannmaupin.com website).
This is what I love about walking around Manhattan. You do not even have to step foot in a museum to enjoy great artworks that are tucked into corners of every neighborhood on walls, telephone poles, on the street and in courtyards. You just have to look for it.
As I walked further down West 14th Street, between all the new construction going on and the gleaming glass towers that seemed to be changing the face of the neighborhood a few buildings stood out for the beauty and details in their architecture.
The first one was the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe at 229 West 14th Street. I was attracted the elegant look of the church.
Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe at 229 West 14th Street
The church opened in 1902 and was designed by architect Gustave E. Steinback in both the Baroque Revival and the Spanish Baroque style of architecture (Wiki).
The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe was founded in 1902, and became the first parish in New York City to serve the swelling numbers of Hispanics. During this time the Archdiocese was ill-staffed with priests who could not speak Spanish and those who were willing to reach out to the newcomers and learn their language and their ways were preoccupied with other important ministries. Our Lady of Guadalupe parish was established as a national parish, responsible for the spiritual care of all Hispanics of the city. (Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe website).
The details of the Church stood out for their beauty and elegance
Another standout building on the corner of West 14th Street and Seventh Avenue is 154 West 14th Street. Arranged in a tripartite base-shaft-capital composition with large window areas, this building is a striking and unusual example of a large loft building partly clad in terra cotta, on the three-story base, on the spandrels between the white-brick piers of the midsection, and on the upper portion. The building was designed by architect Herman Lee Meader and was built between 1912-1913 (The Historic District Council Website).
The details on the building are so unusual and you really have to look at the building close to appreciate its beauty.
Another building that stands out on West 14th Street is 144 West 14th Street which is part of the Pratt College today but has an interesting past. Pratt bought the building in 1999.
The beautifully detailed building at 144 14th Street
144 West 14th Street is a grandly-proportioned Renaissance Revival-style loft building. It is faced with limestone, tan brick and terra cotta and was designed by the prominent architects Brunner & Tryon in 1895-96. It is seven stories tall and has a street façade articulated through a series of monumental arches embellished with neo-classical ornament (Historic District Council website).
The detail work at 144 West 14th Street
Though the building reminded me of one of the department stores from the post Civil War period, the building was actually used for manufacturing, one the tenants of the building being Macy’s (DaytonianinNYC website).
Turning the corner onto to Sixth Avenue that Chelsea shares with the Lower Flatiron District, you enter what was once the next great shopping area of the late 1880’s to about 1920 when the “Ladies Shopping District’ moved from 14th Street after the Civil War to Sixth Avenue between West 20th Street to West 23rd Street to create “The Ladies Shopping Mile”.
It would then move to West 34th Street where Macy’s resides today and the ghosts of B. Altman, Stern’s, Orbach’s and Franklin Simon buildings still remain to the last holdout of Lord & Taylor on Fifth Avenue that closed a few years ago that used to line the blocks. Most of the older smaller buildings have been torn down and gleaming new towers are starting to line parts of West 14th Street between Eighth to Fifth Avenues and up along the Avenues.
West 14th Street by Sixth Avenue
Looking up Sixth Avenue and 19th Street, the eastern border of Chelsea
Walking up Sixth Avenue towards West 20th Street, most of the more elaborate buildings are closer to the edge of West 20th Street. Walking back up toward the heart of the former “Ladies Shopping Mile” along Sixth Avenue from West 18th Street to West 23rd Street, the lower part of Sixth Avenue is similar in look to West 14th Street. A mish-mosh architectural styles from years of knocking down the older buildings. Inside are a variety of fast food restaurants, coffee shops and small stores.
The first building left of the former shopping district is the former Pace Building at 610 Sixth Avenue.
David Price opened his first women’s clothing store, D. Price & Co. around 1887. The Price Building was built in 1910-1912 and designed by Buchman & Fox in the Beaux-Arts style (Wiki). The was the combination of the two stores, the one facing Sixth Avenue and the one facing 18th Street (DaytoninManhattan.com).
The embellishments of 610 Sixth Avenue designed by Buchman & Fox.
Next to the Price Building is what was one of the grandest of the department stores in New York City at 620 Sixth Avenue, Seigel Cooper
620 Sixth Avenue-The former Siegal Cooper Department Store
The original store design in the late 1800’s (New York Historical Society)
The Siegel-Cooper Department store was a Chicago based store that was founded in 1877 by Henry Siegel, Frank H. Cooper and Isaac Keim. They opened the New York City store in 1896 on the Ladies Mile Shopping District. The store was designed by the architectural firm of DeLemons & Cordes in the Beaux-Arts design. When it opened, it was the largest department store in the world until Macy’s opened in 1902 (Wiki).
The Siegal Cooper insignia on the building.
The window details
The details on the upper windows of the store.
Henry Siegel over-extended himself and sold the company in 1902 to an investor and the store declared bankruptcy in 1915 and closed in 1917. After the store closed, it was used as a military hospital and then as a warehouse. Today after years of being used as a warehouse, it now has several retailers located in the store space (Wiki).
Across the street from the Siegel-Cooper store is the old B. Altman & Company store before they moved to East 34th Street.
625 Fifth Avenue-The old B. Altman & Company Department Store.
B. Altman & Company was founded in 1865 as a family store that eventually came under the control of Benjamin Altman. It moved from its Third Avenue and Tenth Street location to 621 Sixth Avenue in 1877. The store expanded four times in this location to cover what is now 625 Sixth Avenue. The store was designed in the Neo-Grec design and built in four stages. First by architects David and John Jardine for the original store in 1877 and then the extension in 1880. Then by architect William Hume in 1887 and then by architects Buchman & Fox in 1910. The store moved to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street in 1906 when the shopping district moved to 34th Street (Wiki).
The last old department store on the Ladies Mile Shopping District is at 641 Sixth Avenue on the corner of Sixth Avenue and West 20th Street.
641 Sixth Avenue-The old Simpson Crawford Department Store
Simpson Crawford like many stores on Sixth Avenue had its humble beginnings on 19th Street. The store continued to grow and expand catering to the ‘carriage trade’ and selling the finest merchandise. After their new store was destroyed in a fire in 1880, they opened the store at 641 Sixth Avenue in 1899 which was designed by architectural firm William H. Hume & Son in the Beaux-Arts design (dayoninmanhattan.com).
The details of 641 Sixth Avenue.
This part of the Flatiron District feels so different from the northern part of the neighborhood. So much of it has disappeared over the years that the character has changed. It does not have the distinction of the blocks between 23rd and 20th streets. There are blocks of these types of buildings whereas the blocks of the old shopping districts of the early to late 1800’s from 14th to 18th Streets have slowly disappeared over time. Older buildings have since been replaced with modern office and apartment buildings. The buildings have even been refitted for apartments and for the growing college campuses in the area.
While there are many architectural gems in this neighborhood, it just goes to show the progression of Manhattan and how things have changed in the last 100 years. The City keeps marching on. Still this section of the Lower Flatiron District shows just how important this part of the old “Midtown Manhattan” was from the Civil War until WWI. Just look up and admire all the details on each building. There are a surprise and delight for the eyes.
The Street art on West 15th Street off Sixth Avenue “I Love New York”
Read my blog on Walking the Streets of the Lower Flatiron District:
While I was walking around Chelsea, I was trying to figure out where to go for dinner. A guy was sampling slices of pizza outside of a new branch of Pizza Studio on West 14th Street. It was delicious and I decided to eat there for dinner.
I thought that the prices were very fair and you got a delicious 12 inch pizza for $10.00 and a lemonade. The whole bill with an extra tip was around $12.50, which was reasonable for all the food. Plus the pizza was delicious.
The ingredients to choose from
The Sausage pizza I ordered that evening
The pizza was wonderful
The pizza served with the Blue Lemonade
What was really nice after the day walking around the neighborhood was the lemonade was so refreshing. You got a choice between Watermelon Lemonade and the Blue Lemonade above and you got free refills. Talk about quenching your thirst on a hot day. It was a great dinner.
Walking past Holy Apostles Church at night
The Empire State Building lit for the holiday
A beautiful site of the Empire State Building
On each corner of the neighborhood, surprises and changes keep this neighborhood in a continuous flux. It just keeps reinventing itself.
One of the nicest things about being a member of museums in New York City is when they have the ‘Private Members Nights’, where the museums are open after hours for the membership only. The funny thing about these nights are that the museums seem busier on these nights than they would when the museums are open during the day to the general public.
What also is difficult is when two major museums have their Members Night on the same night. I had to do a lot of coordinating to go to both museums. What made it work is that both museums closed at different times with The Met closing at 10:00pm. I timed it perfectly.
Members Night at the MoMA ‘Behind the Flowers’ for the Hilma af Klint exhibition
The theme that evening was based on the Hilma af Klint exhibition
Going this evening took a lot of planning as I had to teach in the morning and cut the lawn on the afternoon. I was already exhausted by the time I left for the City at 4:00pm. Even on this gloomy afternoon, the weather held and it was a nice evening.
The area around the museum was in full bloom that early evening
The event opened early at the MoMA with their event from 6:00pm-9:00pm and the Met went from 7:00pm-10:00pm so I was able to enjoy both with a lot of walking in between. It was worth it as I was able to see several exhibitions on my bucket list before they closed. With work and finals, it had been tough to visit both of them.
People were enjoying conversation and cocktails when I arrived at the MoMA that evening.
I decided to start my evening at the Sculpture Garden on the first floor. The weather was cloudy but still it was a warm evening. People were conversing near the fountains and listening to music. The lines for the cash bar never let up and they were about thirty deep the whole time.
The Sculpture Garden at the MoMA
While I walked around the gardens and fountains I noticed a lot of the art that they were featuring was really unique, some of which I had not seen before.
The gardens with the poppies in bloom
This beautiful mosaic of a octopus did not have a name
This metal artwork was towards the back of the sculpture garden
The artwork makes quite a statement in the sculpture garden
I watched this interactive art that I had seen at the last Members Night
I love this interactive art in this video
I love watching this video sculpture moving around. I had seen it on my last visit and thought it was very interesting. I then moved upstairs to see the Hilma af Klint exhibition that would be closing that weekend. The galleries were jammed with members who wanted to see the artist’s work. She had some interesting pieces that looked more like a naturalist works.
You could barely move in the galleries it was so crowded. I was not able to get as close to the works as I wanted but I wanted to share from the exhibition the pieces I liked most.
Flowers and an Apple
These interesting drawings on mushrooms
I thought this set of drawings on dandelion’s and strawberries was interesting
As I finished the exhibition, I watched from above other members milling around the second floor
I then moved to the next exhibition ‘Pirouette: Turning Points in Design’, the use of design and concept in everyday life. I thought this exhibition was interesting because it described how we look at functionality and the reasons why things are designed for a specific purpose and then can take on new meaning.
Of the many fascinating and famous items in the exhibition that I saw two well known works stood out to me. The first was the “I ❤️ New York” logo and its development in the 1970’s to be one of the most famous tourism campaigns in history
The Milton Glazer campaign for the “I ❤️ New York” campaign which saved New York tourism and is still used today. What was sad was the creator died during COVID in 2020.
The sign on the development of the design
The other stood out for its simplicity and fame was the development of M & M’s. This simple candy was a result of Forrest Mars seeing the rations of candy abroad of chocolate coated in a shell so it would not melt on the battlefield. With some experimentation, he created the modern M& M.
M & M display by Forrest Mars
I thought the whole museum would be open that night but it was just the two floors plus the gift shop and gardens. Since I saw everything at the MoMA already and it was around 7:45pm, off I ran out the back door to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Private Members Night.
Walking up Fifth Avenue at dusk
Walking up Fifth Avenue at dusk
The walk up Fifth Avenue to The Metropolitan Museum
The Met at night is quite dazzling
The entrance to The Met in the evening
Looking down Fifth Avenue at night
The entrance in the Rotunda was filled with fresh flowers and members chatting away. I even saw some of the members I had seen at the MoMA earlier.
The floral arrangements were spectacular
The beauty of the Rotunda in the evening
Maybe because these Members Nights were on a Tuesday evening, they both did not seem as crowded as they had been in the past. The museum was crowded but not as crowded as the past two Member’s Nights. I think that I arrived at 8:00pm most people were starting to leave. What was nice was that the MoMA night went until 9:00pm and The Met Night went until 10:00pm so it gave me the time to run through both museums.
I started my tour of The Met in the Greek Galleries looking at the Cycladic Art. I always loved the looks of these works.
I love the Egyptian Galleries. I have been coming here since 1973 and have loved them ever since.
I love the ancient hieroglyphics
For the last two Members Nights, the Members Bar was in the Temple of Dendur. It is always so well lit and the music was wonderful. It is a nice way to end the evening.
The Temple of Dendur lit for the evening
The Temple of Dendur was the perfect place to relax and have a cocktail
The crowds were rather large at the bar that evening
The Passion fruit cocktail was the specialty drink of the evening
The Passion fruit cocktail was well worth the money
It was nice to just sit back with the other members and relax and listen to the music. After a long week at work, the sounds of jazz with a nice drink and good conversation is a way to enjoy the evening.
I had a renewed energy after being in the Egyptian Galleries for an hour and I headed into the American Wing to tour some of the exhibits around the main court.
Only the outside of the American Wing was open
I decided to see the new Costume exhibition “Superfine”, an exhibition of Black Men’s clothing through the ages from pre-slavery to current times. The exhibition was a discussion on attitudes, tastes, tailoring and how the Black style influences fashion.
Clothing and accessories I admired in the exhibition
Clothing styles I thought were interesting in the exhibition
The evening drew to a close and I was exhausted running from work to come into the City to walk from one museum to another and then walk back to the bus station. Still I got to see a lot in both museums.
The Rotunda at the end of the evening
The fountain dancing as I left
It was such a beautiful that I decided to take the long walk back to Port Authority via Second Avenue. I wanted to see if my favorite Chinese restaurant was still open. I was getting hungry but at almost 10:00pm not much was open. The Chinese restaurant had just closed for the evening. Since COVID, the ‘City that never sleeps’ is going to bed early.
As I was walking down Second Avenue, I came across a very reasonable pizzeria named Centro Pizzeria & Restaurant at 1469 Second Avenue. All I had to do is look at the pizza cases and I could not decide on what I wanted to order.
Centro Pizzeria and Restaurant at 1469 Second Avenue
My review on Diningona ShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.con:
The selection of pizzas in the pizza case
The Cheese and Pepperoni pizzas had just come out of the oven and were the freshest of the pies. I noticed the Pepperoni pizza was loaded with pepperoni and I decided I had to try it. The pizza here is excellent.
My dinner that night
The Pepperoni slice was loaded with slices of pepperoni and cheese
The red sauce which is the base of the pizza gave the Cheese slice lots of flavor
Yum!
It really was a nice walk through Midtown with all the lights on and a nice crowd of people walking their dogs in the various neighborhoods. Walking down the streets of the Upper East Side is really a nice walk and the classic New York experience. These Members Nights are a wonderful way to spend the evening.
Admission: Adults $30.00/Seniors & Disabled People $22.00/Students $17.00/Members and Caregivers with disabled person Free/NYC residents and NY, NJ and CT students: Pay as you Wish
Admission: Admission: Adults $30.00/Seniors & Disabled People $22.00/Students $17.00/Members and Caregivers with disabled person Free/Children Under 16 are free/Members Free/Guests of Members are $5.00.
I am ready to go back to the Staten Island Zoo and have a little conversation with Staten Island Chuck. Since he said he did not see his shadow and Spring is coming, we have had six weeks of freezing and cloudy days. I have had to bundle up just to get my yard work done and my lawn needs a good cutting but it has been too cold to do much.
Today was the first day that it finally reached 60 degrees and like everyone else, I wanted to spend it outside. I finished classes at 11:00am and let my students out early to enjoy their Easter/Passover weekend.
I wanted to decompress myself so I headed to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I wanted to see the Cherry Blossoms and then see Daffodil Hill, one of the most impressive flower displays in New York City. I was not disappointed.
The entrance on Ocean Parkway to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
Tulips lining the pathway in the front of the gardens
The tulips lined the walls and paths along side the entrance
When I got to the Rose Gardens, the plants finally looked they were coming alive after a long slumber. None of the roses were remotely blooming but the tulips as and other flowers were.
The tulips and daffodils in the Cranford Rose Garden
The Cranford Rose Gardens is truly magnificent in June when all the roses are in bloom but for now, the beds that lined the sides of these gardens had tulips and daffodils in full bloom.
The Cherry Blossoms on the main lawn had not bloomed yet so they had about another week. It had been so cold out the trees probably did not want to spout. Different species bloom at different times and some trees had blossomed and the petals had come down with the rain while others especially in the Japanese Gardens were in full bloom.
The Cherry Blossom lawn just before the blooming
The first wave of blossoms
The Japanese Gardens were packed with people trying to film and photograph the gardens. It started to get a little obnoxious but I guess all of us were doing it. It was just so beautiful to look at that afternoon.
Entering the Japanese Gardens
The blooming of the Japanese Gardens
The gardens were really crowded with the warm weather
The Japanese Pond
The full Japanese Gardens
Walking along the paths of the Japanese Gardens
As I left the Japanese Gardens, I entered the Magnolia Trees Gardens and Daffodil Hill. Because of all the rain and the cold weather (it had been in the 30’s and 40’s up until today), they both reached their peak early and all that rain did not help.
Walking the pathways between the gardens
The gardens though were still in bloom. Just past their peak but still picturesque and the smells of the flowers were wonderful.
The Magnolia and Dogwood trees just past their peak
The Magnolia Gardens are breathtaking this time of year
The gardens in full bloom
Walking along the paths
The pathways in bloom
The array of colors along the paths
Some of the trees along the paths were at peak blooming
All the visitors were filming and taking pictures
The gardens got more crowded as time went on
Some of the trees had such vibrant colors
The Magnolias and Dogwoods all in bloom
The pathway was filled with visitors taking pictures
The Magnolia Garden sits just across the pathway from Daffodil Hill, one of the most spectacular displays of Mother Nature
The over thousand daffodils on Daffodil Hill
Daffodil Hill is one of the main reasons why I join the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. It is one of the most beautiful displays of Mother Nature in the garden. Hundreds of different species of Daffodils grow along this hill and for two weeks out of the year this display of flowers surpasses my expectations.
The beautiful display of yellows, whites and oranges come to life each Spring
The mix of pine and flowers
The old oak tree sits as a catalyst for this display
Follow its gracious branches along the hill
The beauty of Daffodil Hill in the Spring at its peak
Daffodil Hill in full bloom
Daffodil Hill in all its beauty in 2026
Daffodil Hill in all its brillance
This is a video display of Daffodil Hill in all its glory. It is amazing in full bloom.
Daffodil Hill in full bloom
I just love looking at all angles of this garden and from every point. I never get tired of its beauty and like to sit on the bench opposite the hill and just the flowers away in the wind. I always look forward to seeing these bloom every Spring. I got to see this just after the peak.
The Lotus Pools
I then walked down the stairs to the Lotus Pools. It will be several weeks until these flower but the paths along side the pools were line with tulips in an array of colors.
The tulips were in full bloom when I was there. Mine are just waking up
The various colors of the tulips
In the middle of these colorful displays and between the pools of the historic Fish Fountain with its amusing spouts.
The historic Fish Fountain between the pools
The graceful sounds of the fountain flowing
After walking through my favorite sections of the gardens, I decided to explore the back paths of the gardens which were just starting to come into bloom. As I passed the various gardens up and down the paths, patrons started to relax on the lawns and just soak up the blue skies, sunshine and the 68 degree weather. It just got nicer as the day wore on.
The Children’s Garden was in the process of being planted and coming into bloom
The entrance to the Children’s Garden
The Watershed
The watershed
The Christmas ferns along the paths
The Christmas fern sign
The Bluebells by the Children’s Garden were coming into bloom
The first species of roses started to appear and I was lucky to get this picture in
The Rock Garden’s flowers were just starting to bloom here
People just relaxed by the watershed lawns and soaked up the sunshine while they talked
The path back to the Cherry Blossoms
The full array of Cherry Blossoms should be appearing in the next week or two and will be in bloom for about a week. For now because of the cold weather, the first of the blooms are appearing.
There are different species of Cherry trees that bloom at different stages of the season
Everyone was elbowing everyone for the pictures
The plants were all out in bloom on the warm day
It seems even the flowers were awoke with this nice day and came out of their slumber as well. It was such a nice afternoon around the gardens and people seemed in a better mood. People appeared relaxed and refreshed by Mother Nature’s display of beauty. This will continue for the next couple of months as all the flowers around the gardens start to bloom.
I returned to the Gardens on Mother’s Day to crowds I have not seen since Member’s Nights to see the Bluebell flowers at the peak of bloom. I can tell that in about three days they will be gone.
The amazing Bluebells
The flower display has grown over the years
The sign for the flowers
After my tour of the gardens, I skipped the over-priced lunches at the cafe in the gardens and headed down Washington Avenue to Bahn Mi Place at 824b Washington Avenue for a sandwich. The food here is wonderful and very reasonable.
The flowers in bloom
Just as impressive as the Daffodil Hill
The gardens were breathtaking this afternoon but this will not last.
I ordered on of their Pork Chop Bahn Mai sandwiches and I forgot how good they are here. The pork was marinated in soy and Hoisin sauces and then cooked to perfection.
The Pork Chop Bahn Mai with fresh vegetables
The sandwiches here are excellent
Yum!
The sandwiches here are high quality between the fresh chewy buns and the crisp vegetables. It was a wonderful lunch and the perfect way to end my visit to the gardens.
What’s nice about Bahn Mi Place is that you can eat in on the small tables inside or on a warm day, take it to the seating outside the Brooklyn Museum and just people watch. It is the perfect afternoon in Brooklyn on a warm day. I relaxed and enjoyed this afternoon after a rough week at work.
Even the fountains were amazing that day!
On the evening of the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, the Gardens had a special event to celebrate the occasion.
The special Members Summer Solstice event
The event included late night walks through the Gardens and then a special musical presentation entitled ‘Afropneuma’, an African jazz sounding concert.
The concert took place on the Cherry Blossom lawn
At sunset, they started the concert with a large audience. The musical performance was enjoyable but lawn and like most people, my 9:30pm, I started the long trip home. It had been a long evening.
They set up a bar for drinks and snacks
The bar menu
We watched the concert from the Cherry Blossom Lawn
It was a very pleasant evening and a nice place to relax and enjoy the sunset.
The Garden started a series of special ‘Jazz Nights’ for members to come after the Gardens had closed for the dining. The first one on July 3rd got rained out with an impending storm approaching. So as soon as the rained stopped about a half an hour later, many of us who stayed enjoyed the cooler evening and walked around the gardens and enjoyed ourselves.
Walking around the Lilly Pond pools
The Water Lillys are ready to bloom
The Water Lillys ready to bloom
I decided to walk around the enclosed gardens starting with the Bonsai Garden display.
The Bonsai Garden display is enclosed
I really admire the care that goes into these trees. The Gardens do a wonderful job maintains and displaying these beautiful trees.
The Bonsai
The beautifully maintained trees take years to get this way
The trees on display
The trees on display
Enjoying the Bonsai Gardens
I next toured the enclosed Rainforest and Desert displays. These enclosed gardens are most impressive in the winter months when they offer relief from the cold. In the summer when it rains, it offers refuge from the elements.
Walking through the enclosed rain forest
The enclosed Rain Forest
Walking through all the shrubs and flowers
The Desert Display with cactus
Admiring all the flowers in the tropical room of plants
After the rain stopped (it only rained for twenty minutes), we were able to tour the grounds and enjoy all the flower beds. I ended the evening admiring a rainbow.
Admiring the Rose Garden fountain just south of the Cherry Blossom lawn.
A beautiful rainbow in the gardens ended the evening.
On the way back to Port Authority, I stopped into Upside Pizza at 812 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. The pizza there is a bit pricy but you do get a very big slice.
Right after the Metropolitan Museum of Art had their private members night, ‘Met After Hours’, the Museum of Modern Art countered with their event. Neither museum has the whole museum open but at least at The Met there is more than one bar open and they keep two of the restaurants open for patrons so you can have dinner at the museum.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) kept only two floors open and had one very crowded bar open that evening. Still it was nice to visit the museum after hours and walk through the halls.
The front of the Museum of Modern Art at 11 West 53rd Street
Looking down on the bar crowd as I walked to the second floor
Listening to the music play with the artwork
The first piece of art I saw was ‘Cadence’ by artist Otobong Nkanga. This colorful and impressive piece took up the entire second floor atrium and the interesting part of the work was that it was interactive and you could walk through the display. It looked like a volcano had exploded and the rocks that spewed out you could walk around.
The work ‘Cadence’ by artist Otobong Nkanga
The write up on the this interesting work
The work took up the second floor atrium
The rest of the second floor of the museum was closed that evening so I made my way to the fourth and fifth floor to visit the galleries.
There was no special exhibition on the fourth floor so I stopped room by room to admire the art. Sprinkled amongst the paintings and sculptures, the museum had placed clips of movies, a few of them silent films. One of my favorites was showing, George Meles’s ‘Trip to the Moon’.
George Meles’s silent film ‘Trip to the Moon
The write up of the piece
The YouTube video on the movie “A Trip to the Moon”
I had first seen this film in high school and had fallen in love with the elaborate sets and the campy storyline. I never got how they thought they were going to get home. Still the movie is fun to watch and you think to seventy years later to movies like ‘2001 Space Odyssey’ and ‘Apollo 13’ and even the footage of really landing on the moon and think how far we have come.
Roaming around the Picasso gallery
Then I walked around the Contemporary Galleries and admired all the works by Picasso and Brancusi. Everyone else was still down at the bar on the first floor so I had these galleries to myself for the first forty-five minutes. I quietly walked and admired all the works.
The contemporary gallery
The works ‘Fish’ and ‘Bird in Space’
Brancusi’s works especially ‘Bird in Space’ I had studied in my Art History class at Michigan State University and zI had admired them for a long time. I had forgotten that versions of them were at the MoMA.
‘Broadway Boogie Woogie’ by Piet Mondrian
The signage
Then I passed ‘Broadway Boogie Woogie’, another work I had studied in college. It is amazing how many great works were at this museum. I just liked the colors and whimsy of this painting. Then I walked through the Claude Monet gallery where the famous ‘Water Lillie’s’ paintings were located.
The gallery dedicated to Claude Monet’s ‘Water Lilies’
The signage
Claude Monet’s ‘Water Lillies’
I love these immense murals either their beautiful colors and calmness to the painting.
I then turned the corner and came across Picasso’s ‘Girl before the Mirror’
I had forgotten that this painting was here and I stopped for a while and just admired it. I loved the simplicity of the idea but enjoyed its bold colors and crazy cubism to it. I have been attracted to this painting since I was a kid when my mother took me to the Picasso Retrospect here when I was a freshman in high school.
The signage for the painting
As the night wore on I visited the floors that were open and it was only two floors, four and five and the second atrium that were open so I visited the bar area when I finished with the other floors.
The prices here were just as expensive as the earlier Member’s Night at The Met and the selection was not as nice, so I bypassed it. I just watched everyone from a distance.
I just enjoy watching everyone having a good
time. I makes the evening even more special.
Watching the crowd while admiring the beautiful interactive art. This work kept moving around to the music in the background
The painting would move in different directions to the music
It had been a short but relaxing evening and got my mind off everything between work and home and I guess I needed a change of pace to shake me out of it.
After a short visit to the gift shop, I left the museum and headed home. As I turned the corner past the museum, I stopped to admire the lights of Seventh Avenue. I sometimes forget how breathtaking Manhattan can be at night.
Seventh Avenue at night around the corner from the MoMA
I took a short walk around the neighborhood, thinking about where I could stop for a snack. None of the restaurants at the museum were open the evening and they had nothing at the bar.
I remembered a wonderful hamburger/ hot dog place near Eighth Avenue, Lucky’s Famous Burgers at 370 West 52nd Street.
I settled on the ‘Double Dog’ special meal with two dressed hot dogs and a large size of French Fries with a large Coke. It was enough food for two people. The hot dogs here are fantastic and the French Fries are cooked to order. The meal just hit the spot and really cheered me up as had the visit to the MoMA. It was the perfect meal to cap off the evening.
The Doubledogs with French Fries meal
The delicious twin hot dogs
They were nicely decorated
What a way to end the evening
It was quick and relaxing evening and shook away the blues of the past days of gloomy weather and some of the long nights of grading papers at work. A pleasant night at the MoMA can really cheer you up!
It is especially nice when the museum is closed and you can visit the museum with all the other members in a private event just for us.
It was time for another ‘Met After Hours’ member event
I wait for these evenings as a member. It is so much fun to walk the halls of the Met after the museum closes and just relax, look at exhibitions that I might have missed on my last several trips to the museum, have a much needed cocktail (one specialty drink is more than enough) and enjoy listening to the speaker.
Entering the main hall of the museum
The beautiful Cherry Blossoms are in season in all the urns
Walking through the Greek Galleries on my way to the exhibitions that were open that evening
I decided to start on the second floor of the museum since most of the members seem to settle on the first floor. My first stop was the Jesse Krimes exhibition ’Corrections’.
Krimes’s image-based installations, made over the course of his six-year incarceration, reflect the ingenuity of an artist working without access to traditional materials. Employing prison-issued soap, hair gel, playing cards, and newspaper he created works of art that seek to disrupt and recontextualize the circulation of photographs in the media (Met website).
Displayed at The Met in dialogue with Bertillon, whose pioneering method paired anthropomorphic measurements with photographs to produce the present-day mug shot, Krimes’s work raises questions about the perceived neutrality of our systems of identification and the hierarchies of social imbalance they create and reinscribe. An artist for whom collaboration and activism are vital, Krimes founded the Center for Art and Advocacy to highlight the talent and creative potential among individuals who have experienced incarceration and to support and improve outcomes for formerly incarcerated artists (Met website).
The description of the show ‘Jesse Krimes Corrections’
The art work ‘Purgatory’ where the artist put faces of the artist’s imagination while in solitary confinement.
The signage for the piece
The sculpture ‘Naxos’ with thousands of pebbles from prison yards
The signage for ‘Naxos’
I then toured through the Asian Galleries to see what exhibitions were open that evening. Some of the displays for Chinese New Year were still prominent in the galleries and I admired them in the cases.
This very evil looking statue just stares at you while you pass it
I admired the Chinese Zodiac sculptures in the Asian Wing and found my sculpture in the year of the Snake. Chinese New Year was over but the displays for the year of the Snake were still on display.
The sculptures of the Chinese Zodiac
The sign for the Zodiac animals
At the entrance to one of the galleries, one sculpture stood out to me that has been accented by peacock feathers.
The peacock sculpture ‘Mahamayuri on Peacock’
The sign for the sculpture
The piece stood out for its grace and its beauty. There was something unique about it.
I then visited the other side of the floor that was open in the Arabic Wing. I had visited the gallery in length during one of the other member nights when they officially reopened. I love all the displays of rugs and decorative objects throughout the various rooms.
Walking through one of the rug gallery rooms
What I admire the most from some of these artisans is the approach to precious items like gold, silver and jewels in the works. You could really see the amazing detail to these works.
Several decorative items in the display case
One of the special exhibitions in the Arabic Wing was the Merchant Ivory exhibition ‘Ink to Ivory’ from the Director’s private collection.
This focused exhibition presents a selection of superlative drawings from the courts and centers of India and Pakistan (with a few related Persian works) dating from the late sixteenth to the twentieth century. These works are mainly selected from The Met collection in partnership with film director James Ivory, whose recent gift to the Museum of nineteenth-century photograph albums will also be featured in the exhibition (Met website).
The drawings will include fresh and informal preparatory exercises for paintings as well as beautifully finished works in their own right. The photographs will present the subject matter and styles that came about in the contexts of royal patronage and ceremony; views of architecture, cities, landscapes, and people, among others. As an artist and filmmaker, James Ivory will help us appreciate this material through his unique gaze (Met website).
The description of the show at the Met
The exhibition was a selection of drawings and photos from the British possession of India. I could see from the pictures the Caste system that had been created. The drawings though were quite interesting and showed a different perspective of Indian life at that time. I liked the mix of royals both from England and India.
When I got to the first floor, I noticed the time as getting late in the evening. This special evening was ending at 9:00pm rather than the usual 10:00pm and after the last three weeks that I had with Midterms and papers to grade and leading a recent field trip with my students. I really needed to relax and have a drink.
The Temple of Dendur gallery was lit for the evening and music was playing when I arrived. I guess all the other members felt the way I did as the place was packed. I was wondering why the halls were so quiet.
The Temple of Dendur Gallery was set up for the Members Bar
The lighting really accented the ancient temple
The crowds really packed the cocktail tables
Everyone had to get drink tickets to get a beverage and trust me this did not look like the soft drink crowd. They were featuring a ‘Berry Fizz’ as their signature drink that evening.
The signature drink ‘The Berry Fizz’
Relaxing at the end of the evening on the rim of the pool at the Temple of Dendur Gallery
Relaxing and talking to other members at the Temple of Dendur that evening
The bewitching hour of 9:00pm came and the bar area was still going strong but other parts of the museum began to clear out and close for the evening.
As we left, members of the staff handed out Chocolate Flowers that represented the Cherry Blossoms that were prominently featured all over that entrance and would be blooming all over the City in the next few weeks.
The Chocolate Flower we got when we left. I think this was a nice touch as was the pumpkin at the Halloween members night
All the Cherry Blossoms around the Great Hall entrance as I left
It was not a pleasant night as we left for the evening. It was pouring down rain and I could see this when I was in the Temple of Dendur Gallery.
I walked to East 72nd Street and had dinner at Shanghai Chinese Food at 1388 Second Avenue for dinner. This little hole in the wall restaurant has some of the best Chinese food in Manhattan.
I needed the ultimate comfort food that night and ordered the General Tso’s Chicken with Pork Fried rice. That took the gloom off this rainy evening.
The crispy rich sweetness of the dish is so satisfying
I love this delicious dish
Each piece was a delight
The nice part was that the staff let me relax and finish my dinner. Since I was still dressed in a suit from classes earlier in the day I just assumed they thought I worked at the hospital nearby. It is always so funny to see peoples reactions to me being all dressed up.
It was a nice relaxing evening and a great way to end the day.
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