The Hewitt Gallery of Art on the Marymount College Manhattan campus
The Hewitt Gallery at Marymount College
The Hewitt Gallery at Marymount College Manhattan campus
School has started, the leaves have started to change colors and it is getting dark at a depressing 7:00pm. Fall has started. With that, the farms go from peaches and tomatoes to pumpkins and apples. By Labor Day, the Halloween merchandise starts to hit the shelves and even more depressing, Christmas trees and ornaments with Santa’s singing have entered the stores. I am still hitting the beach and I have to look at reindeer?
As I was passing Rosie’s Farm on my way into Mullica Hill as I was driving to Wildwood for the Firemen’s Convention, I came across this festive sign for Halloween. We were worried about Halloween in the middle of September? Still it intrigued me and I thought this would be fun. I booked a room at the Salem River Inn for two weeks later and off I went yet again to South Jersey exploring all the back roads.
When I got off at Exit Two off the Jersey Turnpike, I was greeted with all these signs with this festive little ghost all over them. I would understand later that this was a big fundraiser for the Harrison Township Historical Society, a very nice little museum on the edge of Downtown Mullica Hill, NJ that I had blogged about in the past. So with the room and tour all booked, off I went exploring the area again until I could check into my hotel.
Since I had just toured the area two weeks earlier, I got most of my stock pictures in and had a list of places I wanted to visit again before they closed for the season. On that list was Hudock’s Ice Cream to see if I could get that heavenly peach ice cream again before they closed for the season, then visit a small museum in Bridgeton (which ended up being closed), the Cohanzick Zoo in the Bridgeton public parks and the Bridgeton Presbyterian Church cemetery for more pictures of sections of the historic cemetery that I missed. So I took all the local back roads through farm country to get to Bridgeton. The adventures took through farm country and all the great farms and farm stands that come with it. It is so much fun when I get lost.
The Mullica Hill Ghost Walk in Mullica Hill, NJ started the Halloween season
I was coming back from the Firemen’s Convention and was staying in Salem River when visiting museums for my blog and I saw the sign for the Mullica Hill Ghost Walk and back to South Jersey I went. I had to take my mind off the first month of school, so I took the weekend to get away.
As I made my way down to Bridgeton to start a series of visits to historical sites on my bucket list for my blog I took a local detour down local roads and came across Moods Farm with a very festive looking pumpkin looking at me and smiling. I had plenty of time for a detour and visit the farm. What a treat!
The farm was really active that morning with people going on hay rises through the fields, walking through the corn maze and enjoying apple cider and cider doughnuts. That last one I was planning on doing.
The very festive female pumpkin greets you at the gate
Moods Farm Market at was very busy that morning and was even busier when I left
The entrance to the market at 901 Bridgeton Pike, where they were selling tickets to hay rides and the maze
https://www.moodsfarmmarket.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The farm created such a relaxing and enjoyable environment when welcoming you. I felt like I was taking a step back to the 1970’s when there was time to stop and take a breather and enjoy a sunny afternoon. I really like the farm stand with the multiple fruits and vegetables and homemade jams.
The fruits and vegetables from the farm
There were lots of things to choose from at the stand
I was in search of a good cider doughnut. I was bummed that they were selling them by the pack. That was until I stopped and talked with the girl at the counter and she said I could buy them individually. They were just coming out of the fryer and they were warm. There is nothing like a fresh cider doughnut with fresh apple cider.
The doughnuts were just out of the fryer and were so delicious
The Apple Cider was made from Honey Crisp apples
I took my cider doughnut and my apple cider and sat at the picnic tables over looking the farm. With all the rushing around in my life, it was to just stop and enjoy a sunny morning.
I was watching the rides through the fields
While I was at the picnic tables, I read the trivia questions in the large pumpkin while watching the tractors drive by.
The Pumpkin Trivia board
The questions and answers were really cute. I thought it was an interesting game.
The questions
The answer
It was just nice to watch people on the rides and having a good time. It is nice to see all this on a sunny early afternoon.
Looking over the farm in the early afternoon
Watching people have fun on the hay rides
The wooden pens of animals for kids to play with at all ages
After this relaxing detour at the farm, I continued my trip down the back roads to Bridgeton, passing other farms and fields of corn.
Then I passed Elmer, a small farming town just south of Mullica Hill. I had not heard from their historical society and when I saw the sign and time I took a chance to see if they were open and pulled down the country lane. I am glad I did.
The country road leading to Elmer, NJ
In Southern New Jersey you are reminded that we are still a rural state
When I visited Elmer, NJ, they were having their ‘Harvest Fest’ that afternoon when I finally got to see their historical society, which was open as they were sponsoring the event. Normally they are only open the second Sunday of the month and that is it.
The Tractor display at the Harvest Fest
The crowds at the Harvest Fest
The amazing crafts at the festival
The amazing crafters at the festival
While I walked around Downtown Elmer, I found that their historical society was open too. I finally got to tour that elusive museum too.
The Elmer Historical Museum at 117 Broad Street
https://www.facebook.com/greaterelmerareahistoricalsociety/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The sign for the museum
The main gallery
The main gallery of the museum
After I left Elmer, I made my way down to Bridgeton to the downtown to visit some of the historical sites in this former Colonial city. For such a depressed City, Bridgeton has a lot to offer and see. I am so surprised that the artists have not taken over this city as well. I am starting to see traces of it as there are now two art galleries in the downtown amongst the Mexican businesses and a few of the Victorian homes outside the downtown have been really fixed up.
The first museum that was located in the main library, the Woodruff Museum of Indian Artifacts was closed and no one could take me downstairs no matter how much I asked. I could not understand how a main library could run on just two people.
So I left there and decided to take pictures at the Presbyterian Church cemetery. There were a lot of pictures that I did not get the last time I visited and there were certain parts of the cemetery I wanted to revisit. Before I did that, I noticed a woman and her daughter had set up a taco stand just in front of the church across the street from the library.
The smells were amazing and I wanted to see what they were serving. She was cooking homemade soft tacos. tamales and quesadillas. I was starved and they looked so good. So I ended up getting two of them and she served them with a homemade hot sauce. They were out of the world.
What was nice is that they set up a table just outside their stall and I was able to enjoy lunch outside in the beautiful weather
The fresh Tacos being cooked across the street from the Bridgeton Library. The woman and her daughter were such good cooks
After lunch, I headed back up into downtown Bridgeton and visited the Century Bakery at 525 North Pearl Street. I had read an article online that this was one of the best bakeries in the State of New Jersey. It did live up to its reputation. The doughnuts were excellent.
Century Bakery at 525 North Pearl Street
https://www.centurybakery.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
I could not believe the selection of different flavors of doughnuts and cakes and it was hard to choose between them.
The selection of doughnuts to chose from
I wanted something different so I got a Vanilla Cream filled glazed doughnut. Talk about excellent. It was light and sweet and topped with a thick layer of glazed.
The Glazed Vanilla Cream Filled doughnut
Yum!
After lunch, I spent the rest of the afternoon before I checked into my hotel at the Bridgeton Presbyterian Church in the cemetery taking pictures of the historic graveyard. It really is something out of a Hollywood horror film. The cemetery at Bridgeton Presbyterian Church contains some of the founding families of the region and many veterans of both the revolutionary and Civil Wars.
I headed to the church and toured the cemetery. On a sunny Fall afternoon with the leaves changes colors, the graveyard had a certain glow to it like the spirits knew I was there. I still think this graveyard has positive spirits at rest because I never feel creeped out by it. It seems like the spirits always appreciate visiting them and respecting their place here.
The entrance of the cemetery
https://www.nj.gov/dca/njht/funded/sitedetails/old_broad_street_presbyterian_church.shtml
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/1969053/old-broad-street-presbyterian-church-cemetery
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Broad_Street_Presbyterian_Church_and_Cemetery
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VistingaMuseum.com:
The graveyard from the outside
The graveyard by the church
The historic family plots
The church always looms in the distance
The graveyard has a creepy look about it even during the day
I toured the graveyard and looked over some of the more unusual tombstones. I liked the part of the graveyard that was older and closer to the church. The names of many of the original families of the area and a lot of Revolutionary War members were buried here so it’s not only historical but part of the fabric of the City of Bridgeton.
After I toured the graveyard I headed to another part of Bridgeton and headed to the Cohanzick Zoo in the Bridgeton Park.
The entrance to the Cohanzick Zoo in the early afternoon
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
I got to the zoo in the early afternoon and was able to walk around the zoo and tour the whole thing in an hour. This regional zoo had a lot of smaller animals that had been rescued or abused. The sad part was that the cages and pens were not that big so some of the animals looked bored.
The entrance of the Zoo
The sign that explains the zoo
The Raccoon House was my first stop
I searched for the raccoon and found him sleeping at the top of his house
The little guy looked so pooped
The zoo is one of the smaller more localized ones that I have visited so you can see the whole zoo in about an hour. Then you can walk leisurely around the paths and revisit the exhibitions again. Some of the animals like the peacock family, just wonder around the park and do their thing.
This gorilla sculpture that greets you in the back part of the zoo
Following the walkway to the back pens where a lot of the small animal and bird displays were located
The next exhibition that I visited was the Sand Hill Crane and I read that the poor little guy had been injured. He seemed a bit more optimistic when I passed the cage. I think that the animals just want some attention.
The Sand Hill Crane display
The Crane was watching all of us as we passed his cage
The next small animal that I visited was the Fennec fox and the two that I saw were fast asleep on this warm afternoon. They must have had a busy morning.
The Fennec fox cage
The foxes that I saw that day were fast asleep
While I was walking around the back part of the zoo, there was a peacock family walking around the cages. The father peacock had two small birds with him and they just meandered amongst the cages.
The male Peacock walking around the zoo with his children. They were allowed to walk around on their own without being locked up. They looked like they were having an adventure as a family.
The Ring Tailed Lemur display
I visited the Ring- Tailed Lemur pens and these little monkeys looked like they were plotting an escape. They stayed in a bunch the whole time I watched them and they just stared.
The lemurs just stared back at me as I watched them
The back part of the museum was beautiful in the early fall
The tiger sculpture along the path at first freaked me out that he had gotten out and just looked at us. He looked real.
The Totem Pole Garden
The river running through the gardens in the Fall 2024
The leopard looked bored in his cage. He justly walked aimless around their cages. They are not being given enough space to move around.
The serval cage
The Serval also looked bored. It just walked in circles around the cage. I was not sure if he was bored or just confused.
The zoo was such a nice place to relax and just collect my thoughts. The beginning of the semester had been rough for me and we were going into Midterms in a couple of weeks. Just walking through the zoo relaxed me. Between the gardens and the sounds of the animals it was nice to clear my head for an hour.
The Salem River Inn at 91 Country Club Road
My review on TripAdvisor:
I headed over to the Salem River Inn in Salem, NJ and dropped my things off in my room before the tour. I just relaxed for a bit before I made the trip back to Mullica Hill to start the tour. The town was packed with people already starting their tours.
Downtown Mullica Hill the night of the walk
The downtown was dotted with scarecrows
The foliage was just starting to change but like Octobers in the past five years it has been warmer and greener further into the month.
The tee shirts of the event being sold at the start of the tour
Our tour guide at the start of the tour
The scarecrows on the tour
We walked many stops in the downtown that was steeped in history even before the Revolutionary War.
The Hanging Barn where a worker hung himself
The history of the 12th Infantry some buried in the town
The Haunted St. Stephen’s Church downtown
The inside of the church where angels were seen
The graveyard talk in the back of the church
The Haunted House where multiple ghosts have been seen
Another haunted house
The Mullica family home is haunted
Another haunted house in town
After the tour was over, I toured the Mullica Hill Historical Society after the tour to see the new ‘Taverns and Temperance’ exhibition on the local watering holes of the 18th and 19th centuries of which only two exist.
The Last Call exhibition at the Harrison Township Historical Society Museum at 62 Main Street
https://www.harrisonhistorical.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The history of taverns and their purpose
The interesting artifacts from the exhibit
The ‘Last Call’ exhibition was a look on how taverns were such an important part of socialization at a time when there were no movies, internet, phones and newspapers were limited. Still there was a strong resistance to people drinking which still reflects to our Puritan past.
There was nothing wrong with having a drink but there was a sense of taking it too far. Still this attitude is reflected today. It is still interesting though how one or two of these taverns have carried over into the Twenty First century. They are still welcoming guests today and that proves the socialization of these establishments and how important they are in our lives.
After the tour was over and I had a nice visit with the museum, it was almost 9:00pm and I wanted to eat something. Two small tacos and two doughnuts are hardly a proper lunch for someone. By 9:00pm though, the whole town had rolled up its sleeves. Even the restaurant where the tour started was closing at 9:00pm. I was shocked as there were people inside still ordering. The host said the kitchen was closing and if I knew what I wanted I could sit down.
That was not much of an offer especially at their prices and I made my way down to Naples, the pizzeria and Italian restaurant where I had parked. They were open until a normal 11:00pm on a Friday night (I still do not understand restaurants that close at 9:00pm on a Friday or Saturday night. This part of the COVID scare is over and things are pretty much back to normal).
I went to the host stand and they seated me quickly. Tours were still going on and as I ate my dinner, the place really filled up when I finished because there was no place left to eat in town. (Not a good business decision). I really enjoyed Naples. Not only was it a lively environment with the games going on and a very active bar scene but the food was really good as well and very reasonable.
Naples Pizzeria 1 South Main Street in Mullica Hill
My review on TripAdvisor:
The inside of Naples the night of the walk
The pizza was amazing
The pizza was so good that night
After the walk was over, I went back to the hotel and sunk into bed. I was exhausted from all the driving. The Salem River Inn is so quiet and relaxing the I slept so soundly that night.
My favorite room in the hotel, The Meadow Room with views of the old golf course and the lawns in the front of the hotel.
I had a bit of a rough night’s sleep, I figure to all the traveling and running around due to work. When I got up, I got to watch the sun rise over the field. That is worth getting up for in the morning.
The start of the sunrise
Continues
Continues
Continues
Continues as the Sun peeks out
Continues
Continues
The sunrise finished. This is why you have to book this room
I had a kind day ahead of me with a lot of running around visiting museums for my blog and exploring the areas of South Jersey that I had not yet covered. That meant running from Salem to Millville to Penns Grove to Pennsville to visit all three historical societies before everything closed at 4:00pm. It does not seem like much but it was a lot of ground to cover.
I started off with a good breakfast on the deck overlooking Delaware Bay that Yvonne prepared for me. It was an egg omelet with tomatoes with fruit, breads and hot tea. The perfect breakfast to start the day. The weather was spectacular and perfect for eating outside.
The views from the deck at breakfast the first week of October
The perfect breakfast outside on the terrace
The perfect omelet
Matched with the perfect view
I had to check out early as the Inn was preparing for a big wedding and I had a lot of ground to cover before I headed home. Don’t ask me how I did it but I got the job done.
I said my goodbyes to the owners but not before taking some more spectacular pictures of the grounds and the beach area. It was so beautiful in the morning.
The beach just outside the hotel
Looking the other direction down the shore line facing the Delaware Bay
After I packed up, I said my goodbyes to the owners and headed to my first stop, the Millville Historical Society in Millville, NJ the first of my three stop journey.
It took just under an hour to arrive in Millville which was past Bridgeton where I had been the other day. I was lucky there was no traffic on the road and I got to the museum fifteen minutes before it opened. It gave me time to take all my exterior pictures of the museum. It is a nice little museum with a great bunch of volunteers.
The Millville Historical Society at 200 East Main Street
https://www.facebook.com/Millvillehs/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The Baracha-Dunn House right next door to the Historical Society is open for touring.
History of the museum:
(from the museum’s website)
The Millville Historical Society has been preserving Millville, New Jersey’s past for over nine decades. Incorporated in 1927, the organization’s headquarters and archives depositary is located in the historic 1857 Millville Bank at 200 E. Main St., Millville.
The main gallery of the Millville Historical Society
The Society has been entrusted with the care of three of Millville’s most historic structures: the 1857 Bank building at 200 E. Main Street, the 1798 Baracha Dunn House, and the 1814 Mansion House. Admission to all buildings is free. Donations are gratefully accepted.
The main gallery of the Millville Historical Society from the front door
I recently visited the Millville Historical Society and got to tour the museum and the historical home next door. The main part of the museum is built inside a historic bank that the Society took over in the 1970’s. All the displays are showcased around the museum.
The original picture of the Millville National Bank during the turn of the last century
One of the first displays you will see is the original drawing of the bank. This beautiful historic building sits on the very edge of the downtown as you enter Millville. On the top of the display was a model of a sand separator that was in the creation of glass which the area was known for in the previous century.
The historic map of Downtown Millville, NJ
Another display has a model one of the major ferries that once ran in Millville.
The model of the Millville
After I toured the displays along the perimeter of the museum, I had a tour of the Baracha-Dunn House next door which was part of the historical society’s complex. These historic buildings were built in the late 1700’s and the addition in the early 1800’s. The tour takes you through both the main house and the later addition both upstairs and downstairs.
The Barack’s-Dunn house was open for a tour
The entrance the house from the street
The main room of the original house with the hearth in the main room for cooking and for heat in the house
The hearth is the center of the house
The Living Room of the main home
The Living Room of the home
The Living Room
The other side of the house which was the later addition to the home offered more rooms.
The Living Room from the main door
I left Millville after about an hour and a half and had to race across the southern part of the State of New Jersey down both Routes 45 and 47 to get to Penns Grove to visit the Penns Grove Historical Society which was on the other side of the Garden State Parkway. They closed at 3:00pm and that offered its challenges. Thank God I had already visited the Presbyterian Church cemetery and the Cohanzick Zoo the day before. Since I also updated the exhibition at the Historical Society at Mullica Hill and the town pictures of Millville, Salem, Mullica Hill and Penns Grove, pretty much my blogs were completed to the seasons. That took a lot of driving and a lot of racing around. Still I was extremely impressed the the Historical Society of Penns Grove, Carney’s Point and Oldmans.
While the Society is in a very depressed downtown area which pretty much does not exist anymore (all the stores surrounding the building are all boarded up), inside the museum was presented the exhibition “What We Wore Then”, an impressive look at the town’s former Downtown area up until the 1970’s when the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Malls and highways changed the way the town shopped. All the strip malls along the highway drew people away from the stores downtown.
The Penns Grove Historical Society at 48 West Main Street
https://www.facebook.com/p/Historical-Society-of-Penns-GroveCarneys-Point-Oldmans-100064438279569/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
This was when the museum was decorated for Christmas in 2023
The Penns Grove Historical Society sign that welcomes you to the museum
The mission of the Society is to collect, study and conserve such historical materials as they relate to the towns and their inhabitants, especially of the early settlement. It shall preserve relics and property of the past, both real and personal as may be given, bequeathed, purchased, loaned or otherwise acquired by the Society. It shall be the Society’s responsibility to use the collection for the education, enjoyment and benefit of the general public.
After almost two years of trying to visit this small historical society, the trips aligned and J was able to visit the Penns Grove Historical Society and delightful and very engaging exhibitions. What was sad was that people missed this wonderful well thought out museum when visiting the area. The museum has so much charm and such interesting exhibitions to walk through.
Entering the museum and the sign for the main exhibition ‘The Clothes we Wore’
There were three exhibitions showing when I came to visit. One was “On the Waterfront” on the Penns Grove waterfront. This describes the shipping and fishing industry that the town had before the building of the factories and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Each display case has different aspects of the industries.
The seafarer and shipping artifacts
This exhibit shows how much the Delaware Bay has changed over the last 100 years.
The pictures and description of the native coastline around the Delaware River
Pictures of the Fishing Industry that was once part of the fabric of the town
The next was the exhibition, “The Clothes We Wore” was an extensive look at the retail community of Downtown Penns Grove, NJ before the coming of the malls and changes of traffic patterns into town. It is also a look at the changes in the way we dress not just to go out but how we dress every day.
When you walk the exhibition you can see the array of stores from shoe stores to hats that people used to don until the mid 1960’s and the coming of ‘Flower Power’. Each store had its specialty and catered to a specific client. It is interesting how each stores had it own display of wares and its use in our wardrobes. It also shows a very vibrant downtown that is now part of its past.
Each store had its own display along with the advertising in a time when shopping was leisurely and we took time out to try things on. Pride in appearance was a big part of who we are as people.
Dresses and suits were once part of our everyday wardrobe
The Millinery shop where hats and gloves were part of the wardrobe
Shoes shined for work every day were part of the uniform
Accessories built the character of our wardrobe
More hats that showed the personality of the wearer
The different advertising for the various merchants that made up the downtown
A glimpse of the downtown in its heyday
The infant and children’s clothing was a bit more formal even at public school
We pampered babies even back then. Their wardrobes were always special
Poland’s Department Store downtown was the place to shops before malls took over
The last exhibition was entitled “It’s Elementary” on the town’s school system. The displays in the back of the museum discuss the modes of transportation before cars and highways became part of the fabric. The progression of the schools in Penns Grove were on display as well with class pictures, school trips, awards and pictures of the schools themselves before regionalization and building of new schools.
The history of the Penns Grove School system in the exhibition “It’s Elementary”
The history of early schools in Penns Grove
The corner stone of the Penns Grove School
A classic trip to Washington DC and Mount Vernon were part of the school traditions even in the 1920’s
After I finished touring the Penns Grove Historical Society, I made a mad dash across the highway followed by the Pennsville Historical Society President, who just happened to be visiting that afternoon, to tour the house before they started to put the Christmas decorations up. This was pretty much the last weekend before all the houses closed to start the holiday season. Most of the houses needed to be decorated before Thanksgiving and it took time.
Church Landing Farm-Pennsville Historical Society
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
I got to the Church Landing Farm in plenty of to tour the house and the grounds. What an interesting museum that is full of surprises. When they unlock the auxiliary buildings to show you the displays, they are a real wonder of fascinating artifacts each with its own theme.
The sign welcoming you to the Church Landing Farm-Pennsville Historical Society
The house was built by Daniel Garrison between 1840-1845 and was the home for five generations of the Garrison family up to 1973 when the last living relative, Anna Locuson died and did not leave an heir. In 1991, Atlantic City Electric worked with the Pennsville Township Historical Society to open this as a museum.
I started with a quick tour of the outer buildings which I had seen three years prior but did not have a camera to take the proper pictures. Since there is not much online, I was on major picture taking mission and started with the amusement shed of the old Riverview Amusement Park display.
The display of the original park
The Amusement Park display
The Amusement Park display
The Amusement Park display
Then I moved onto the Military and Farming buildings
The town history building
Then I moved onto the High School and Military displays and then I took a quick tour of the house before they closed at 4:00pm. Talk about visiting under the wire.
The Town and High School History building
The High School display
After the tour of the outer buildings, the president of the historical society took me on a quick tour inside so I could take pictures in the house before it was decorated for Christmas. It really is a beautiful old home with the most amazing views of Delaware Bay. No wonder it was in the family for so many years. We first toured the downstairs starting with the Living Room.
The Living Room during the late Fall
The Parlor during the rest of the year
Then we took a quick tour of the bedrooms before they were decorated again for Christmas.
Bedroom One
The Bedroom during the regular months
Bedroom Two
The Bedroom during the regular months
The new dollhouse that was donated
The bathroom during the year
I just had enough time to visit the rest of the house and then head off to lunch before my trip home. The house is so nicely decorated both in the regular months and for the Christmas holidays that it is fun to visit all times of the year. I just finished the tour when the museum closed for the day (Visit my blog site VisitingaMuseum.com for details on all of these historical museums and sites).
I stopped for a late lunch/early dinner at my favorite Chinese restaurant in the Pennsville area, Orient Restaurant at 414 South Broadway, a small restaurant in a tiny strip mall that you would never notice. It may have a very non-descriptive front but the reviews online do not do the restaurant justice as the two times I have eaten here the food and service are excellent. I never quite understood why the restaurant is not busier.
Orient Chinese Restaurant at 414 South Broadway in Pennsville, NJ
https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Orient-Chinese-Restaurant-100083171296875/
My review on TripAdvisor:
Orient Chinese Restaurant is one of those old fashioned Cantonese places that still offers the fried noodles and sauces in the beginning and still serves hot tea, ice water and Fortune Cookies at the end of the meal. Don’t be fooled though, this is no Chow Mein palace. Everything I have tried here is delicious, the prices are fair and the portion sizes are just right for a full meal.
The Wonton Soup is excellent
I kept it traditional by ordering a combination platter with Wonton Soup and Sweet and Sour Pork with Pork Fried Rice.
The Sweet and Sour Pork with Pork Fried Rice and an Egg Roll
The egg rolls here are delicious!
I have always been impressed by the meals at the restaurant and it was a nice way to end a very productive weekend. I got to visit, update and revisit so many cultural sites for my blogs plus I got to see Mullica Hill’s Haunted past. It was also such nice weather and I love waking up and looking at the views of the Delaware Bay at the Salem River Inn. Dinner was the cap off to a very busy Halloween season.
With four class though, I told myself that I am toning the whole Halloween season back a notch to limit the amount of events on the weekends. It got to be too much last year with work at the college and classes at NYU that I nearly lost my mind. So I promised myself that I would try not to revisit events of the past and pace myself each weekend of October. This year we did luck out and every weekend in October was beautiful with surprisingly warm weather. It would be 80 degrees on Halloween Night for the parade but for now, I enjoyed the long weekends and relished my time off when I had it. Until the next weekend.
The second weekend of October was my birthday and this time around I was planning things I had wanted to do and visit on my blogs and eat at some of the restaurants on my bucket list. Two of my major projects were done so on Friday I got all dressed up and started my birthday morning volunteering at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen.
I got in a little late but was able to catch up with everyone filling take away bags for the guests to go with their meals, then preparing 100 sandwiches for the weekend to take to sites where the homeless were sleeping so that they had a meal over the weekend and then we had to prepare for Sunday Supper that Sunday so all the place settings had to be prepared and bagged up for the dinner, which I had been to a couple of times over the Summer when I had more time. I always like to give back on my birthday and this was the perfect way to start my birthday day.
It was such a beautiful afternoon to walk around the City. This area of Chelsea has changed a lot in the last twenty years
I decided to take it easy this birthday and not do too much running around. I still had to get a haircut and get some other errands done. One of the meals that I planned today was having Afternoon Tea at the Lowell Hotel up on East 61st Street. I had passed the hotel years ago and when I was doing research on the hotel, they had mentioned the excellent Tea Service they had in the afternoon. Since I have been to the Plaza, Pierre and Waldorf (which is still closed for renovation) many times in the past, I had put it on my bucket list to try. At $150.00 for tea, and tiny cakes and sandwiches it was always hard to justify the price for ‘just going’, Since it was my birthday, I decided to splurge today and spend some of my hard earned money on something special. It was well worth it. What a nice afternoon.
The first thing to check out is the Lowell Hotel at 28 East 63rd Street at Madison Avenue. This elegant little hotel is one of the ‘Leading Hotel’s of the World’ and whose architecture is elegant and inviting. The potted plants and well appointed doorman really give it that European looking touch.
Lowell Hotel at 28 East 63rd Street
https://www.lhw.com/hotel/The-Lowell-New-York-NY
My review on TripAdvisor:
On my birthday in 2024, I finally broke down and went for Afternoon Tea in Majorelle, one of their signature restaurants. I went to try the new “Lilly of the Valley” Tea designed by Dior. It was pricey but this was a once in lifetime experience (unless someone takes me here again). The whole experience was amazing from the time I walked in to the time I left. It was first class all the way.
The floral arrangements along were magnificent. I could not believe the attention to detail the whole hotel paid to every corner of the hotel. Even in the bathrooms nothing was out of place.
The floral arrangements in the lobby were polished and elegant
Majorelle is a quiet corner of the hotel’s restaurants with an elegant and polished look to it. The restaurant was not busy that afternoon with only three other tables having diners. People were well dressed and subdued and the room was polished elegance.
Majorelle set for Afternoon Tea patrons
Nothing was out of place in Majorelle
The table set for one and ready to celebrate my birthday
Ordering from a menu fit for a King! I did not look at any prices this afternoon (it was my present to myself)
The start of the Afternoon Tea service
The Sweets and Sandwiches of the Lilly of the Valley Tea
The Curried Chicken, Lobster Salad and Cucumber Sandwiches
The pastries were so beautiful that I did not want to eat them. They looked as good as tasted!
I toasted my father on the Anniversary of his passing and to my birthday for a happy and safe year. This French Rose Champagne was excellent and a generous pour. Happy Birthday to me!
I had to justify spending the extra $35.00 on a glass of Champagne, I admitted to the waiter that it was my birthday and I should spend it in a special way. They came out later with two freshly made Madeline’s with a candle on the plate for my birthday. I will not tell you how much they sell Madeline’s for here but this was a generous gift that the waiters gave me. I told them I did not say it for something free (this is hardly an Olive Garden) but they could see it was a special gift to myself.
The Madeline’s presented to me with a candle on my birthday
Then came out the freshly baked scones which were still warm from the oven. Everything was made from scratch and made for me for this Tea. Even the Madeline’s were still warm from the oven.
These scones just came out of the oven for me and they were served with freshly made jelly
The additional sweets: freshly made iced cookies, Madeline’s, the Pink Dior Cake and a Chocolate Puffed Cake were presented to me after Tea was served
The Pink Dior Cake that served as a Birthday cake
The Pink Dior Cake was the perfect Birthday cake
Me on my birthday at the Lowell Hotel tea. This was the perfect birthday present to myself. I did make a wish that afternoon but I will not tell it
After I filled myself with sweets and good things to eat, I needed to walk this all off. Even then the sugar was starting to affect me and I needed a stretch or I would have spend out in the hotel’s lobby. I walked outside in the warm weather and walked down East 63rd Street and enjoyed the sunny day. That was some birthday!
After Tea was over, I took a trip to the Central Park Zoo to walk off some of the desserts and then I started to get phone calls from friends and family on my birthday, which was really nice of everyone. It was so beautiful and warm that I sat in the gardens near the Seal Tanks and talked with everyone for over an hour before my haircut appointment.
The Central Park Zoo if right off Fifth Avenue
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The Central Park Zoo gardens
Me visiting my pals, the Seals
He gave me a long stare on my birthday
By the time the Zoo had closed, I had finished most of the my phone calls with my family and friends ( I was on the phone for over two hours), I went to get my haircut at York Barber at 981 Lexington Avenue. My barber of thirty years finally retired at 92 and I had to find a new barbershop. I had passed this place many times on my walks on the Upper East Side and finally decided to try it. I have had my last four haircuts here and I have been very happy.
York Barbershop at 981 Lexington Avenue has been around since 1926 and the interior looks like it
https://www.yorkbarbershop.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:
https://littleshoponmainstreet.wordpress.com/category/barber-shops-in-manhattan/
The barbers here are really nice and the haircuts are only $42.00 which I think is very fair for the quality of the cut and the fact that I look so nice when leave. They have also all been around for a long time so their clientele is pretty much established. This is also where a lot of celebrities get their haircuts but I never see anyone I know.
The inside of York Barbershop with the all well known people who get their haircuts here
After my haircut, it was off to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a quick tour of the new exhibitions and just to walk around. I love just getting lost in the Met when I want to just get lost in myself. This was the perfect place to spend my birthday.
I love walking around this area looking at the luxury stores and walking around the Pierre and Plaza hotels, especially around the holidays. Unfortunately because of recent occurrences, the security at the hotels becomes a point of harassment where you can’t even walk around to look at the displays in public areas anymore.
Pierre Hotel at 2 East 61st Street of Fifth Avenue
https://www.tajhotels.com/en-in/taj/the-pierre-new-york/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pierre
For my Birthday dinner in October 2024, I enjoyed my birthday dinner at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Perrine. The food and service were wonderful. The only problem was that the restaurant was so quiet during the Jewish holidays I felt alone sitting in the back of the restaurant (I had asked for a large table so that I could grade papers).
Perrine Restaurant inside the Pierre Hotel at 2 East 61st Street
My review on TripAdvisor:
The dinner was the perfect way to end my day walking around the Upper East Side. I had been eyeing that Perrine Burger for so long and on a cool night it was the perfect comfort foods.
The inside of Perrine on my birthday
My table at Perrine
I did not even need a menu I had memorized it and I was having the Perrine Burger. It was one of the best burgers I have eaten in a long time. It was made of Prime Beef and Short ribs and you could taste the difference in the meat. It was gamey and rich
My birthday dinner
Nothing like a juicy burger and fries on your birthday
The Perrine Burger is indeed special
Yum!
For dessert instead of any cakes or traditional sweets (I had all of that at Tea in the afternoon), I order the Apple Galette topped with sweet apples and cinnamon. Another perfect comfort food on a cool October night.
My birthday dessert, the Apple Galette
Don’t miss the Apple Galette at Perrine is amazing!
I just relaxed on this birthday evening, spending my day visiting the things I had missed before and just relaxed and enjoyed them.
Me on the night of my birthday at Perrine (with my hair cut). It really was a special evening and a special day. It really cheered me up especially that wonderful dessert!
After my birthday dinner, I walked around Midtown and just enjoyed the views. It is so beautiful in this section of the City. Still before I left I had to take a quick tour of the Pierre Hotel. I forgot how elegant this hotel is to visit. I had worked at the hotel during Spring Break in 1984 and remembered it being one the best hotel’s in the world at that time. I still have that love of this hotel.
Exploring the Rotunda at the Pierre
Even the bathrooms are amazing
After I left the hotel, I just walked around Fifth Avenue and enjoyed the views. Fifth Avenue and East 59th Street is what people think the State of New York is when you say the words “New York” to anyone outside the City.
Midtown Manhattan by the Plaza Hotel at night
The amazing views of Fifth Avenue at night
I really enjoyed the day with wonderful food, excellent activities and giving back on my big day. I know the meals will set me back a bit but both hotels are well worth it. The quality of the food and service you just don’t see a lot of anymore. Happy Birthday to me!
I got back to work over the weekend and graded papers and worked on new projects for my students. With four classes the semester, these students keep me awfully busy. So I spent Saturday and Sunday in front of the computer.
On Sunday morning, we had the October meeting for the Bergen County Firemen’s Home Association. We are starting to get ready for the annual breakfast and the holiday party so there was a lot to discuss.
The NJ Jersey Firemen’s Home decorated for the Fall holidays
The home did a nice job making the grounds cheerful for both the residents and their families
The stage was set for a wonderful afternoon of entertainment
My blog on the event at the NJ State Firemen’s Home:
https://wordpress.com/post/tbcfha.wordpress.com/982
Singer Kelly Carpenter entertained the guests that afternoon
It was a productive meeting and we got a lot accomplished. We started the plans for the annual Christmas Party at the home and the breakfast meeting at the Wyckoff Fire Department. After the meeting was over, I drove around Downtown Boonton taking pictures of the foliage. It was going to be a long week at work and every weekend had something going on due to Halloween.
The next week after an extremely tiring week of classes and testing, I was finally able to sneak back up to Narrowsburg, NY (the upstate Brooklyn) for the weekend. I have been trying to do this for five years and I was finally heading back to the town.
Two days later, I was off again to try another restaurant, The Heron, in Narrowsburg, NY. I must be dedicated because only me could travel to two out of the ways spots just to try a restaurant. I had missed eating here in 2017 when I was passing through on my way to Bovina Center, NY (See Day Seventy-Seven on ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’):
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/5116
To see the whole trip to Narrowsburg, I followed the same trip I made five years ago. This was a picture taking trip and it was just as enjoyable as it was the first time. Here is the link to the full trip both times:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/10049
I had gotten to Narrowsburg at 5:00pm that night and had to be in Bovina Center by 8:00pm so I just had about a half an hour to walk through the downtown and pass the restaurant. I vowed I would be back and it took three years to do it. Funny how life gets in the way when you are living it?
The goal is Downtown Narrowsburg, NY
My trip to Narrowsburg, NY was also a last minute trip that had been on my bucket list for the summer break from school. After such a wonderful day in Cape May, I wanted to take another drive to revisit the area in more detail plus there were a few museums that I wanted to visit that were also on the bucket list. So after work, I traveled up Route 23 into Sussex County and traveled up the highway to my first stop, The Franklin Mineral Museum (which I had passed years ago). It was a nice little museum on the site of the old Franklin Mine.
Before I got to the museum, I had to stop at the McDonald’s in Franklin, NJ, which has been my go to place for lunch before the long trip up to Narrowsburg. It is right around the corner from the Franklin Mineral Museum at 260 Route 23 in Franklin, NJ.
The limited edition Chicken Big Mac which is on the menu as a special
https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/location/nj/franklin/260-nj-23/4332.html
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
It was one big sandwich. This is a meal in itself
I had to try the new Chicken Big Mac that they were featuring as a special on the menu. It was two tempura chicken patties with the same sandwich set up as the beef counterpart with another type of secret sauce. I have to admit with a small Coke, it was more than enough to tide me over before dinner at 7:00pm. I did not need to order anything else. After lunch, I headed over to the Franklin Mineral Museum.
The entrance to the Franklin Museum 32 Evans Street in Franklin, NJ
Home Page
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The Franklin Museum 32 Evans Street in Franklin, NJ (See my reviews on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com) is dedicated to preserving the history of the mining industry, the types of minerals that were found on the property plus interesting displays on fossils from New Jersey and Native American artifacts.
The Franklin Mineral Museum on a sunny afternoon
Before you start to tour the museum, they give you an option to tour the quarry on your own and look for specimens of rocks. I looked over the quarry to find smaller pieces to take home and they had a black light to look over what you found. I found several pieces of calcite that glows orange under the light.
The Mineral Room before the lights go out
When touring the museum, leave yourself plenty of time to tour each of the galleries with two standing out, the Illuminated Rock Room and the simulated mine shafts, which take you into a copy of what a mine shaft and working in the mine would be like.
The Illumination Room is interesting once they shut the lights and close the door
The gallery illuminated
The other rooms are dedicated to minerals and rocks that are found all over the world. The only problem with the museum is that it is a little dated. Most of the signs are typed and the displays could have had more videos to explain what things were and how they were mined. Still the museum is an interesting stop along the highway.
The Franklin Museum Mineral Room
The Native American and Pre-Columbian Gallery
The Fossil Room
After my trip to the Franklin Museum, I continued the drive up Route 23 to downtown Sussex, the County seat. I have never been to such a depressed downtown before since visiting Asbury Park in 2002 (this shore town looks nothing like that today). In 2024, this is the same with Downtown Sussex with a very big theater and arts district. Now the sidewalks are being ripped up and bricked up. The buildings are getting a new life with new stores, restaurants and I can see galleries.
Downtown Sussex, NJ
https://shopdowntown.org/pages/shop-downtown-Sussex-New%20Jersey
The beauty of Downtown Sussex, NJ
The changes going on now will change Downtown Sussex in 2024
Driving through it looks very nice from a distance but when I parked the car and walked around, almost all the storefronts were empty. All these beautiful historical buildings were just sitting around rotting. The historic hotel on the edge of downtown that looked over the rest of the city was falling apart. There was a theater that had been turned into an arts center but the rest of the downtown had not caught up yet. The artists have not found this place yet. Even the Chase branch closed recently so it is telling you about business. I got in my car and continued driving.
When I stopped in Downtown Sussex in 2024 for the first time in almost five years and all the predictions I thought that would happen to this downtown are coming true. The artists and the creative types have discovered the area. The beautiful Victorian homes that surround the downtown are being renovated, the sidewalks are being bricked up and the ‘new windows’ on old buildings are showing repurpose. It , like Asbury Park, are finding a new beginning.
The views as you start the drive into the mountains on Route 97
The views of the Delaware River in 2024
The trip up Route 23 continues into the mountains and to the highest point of New Jersey, High Point Mountain in High Point Park. Here you will see a lush forest and a great park to go hiking in. Maybe for the next time. I exited through the town of Port Jervis, NY before making the turn onto Route 19 which lead me into the mountains.
The Route 97 plaque
Route 19 past Port Jervis, NY hugs the Delaware River
Route 19 right now is one of the most beautiful drives into the mountains. The foliage was still green on my way up but in a few months the leaves will start to change colors and the views will be even more spectacular. Just driving slowly up the road the Delaware River Valley shows off its true beauty. My advice when you travel up to Narrowsburg, NY is to take your time and if there is a driver that wants to pass you, stop at one of the stops along the way and take the time to admire the view.
Route 19 views of the Delaware River
The view on its way to Narrowsburg, NY
I have to admit though that the drive can be a little scary being so close to the cliffs. I had not been this nervous about driving to close to an edge since my trip to Hana in Maui, Hawaii so please take your time, drive alert and drive during the day. During the late summer, just seeing the river glisten beside me and driving through the small towns on the way up the highway was picturesque and romantic.
The views from the top of Route 97
I got up to Narrowsburg in the late afternoon and the everything in the town was closing down for the night. I arrived at the Narrowsburg Inn by 3:00pm and needed to take time to relax. I met the owners who were preparing for a wedding that Saturday so I did not want to take up much of their time. What surprised me was when they told me that this was their last weekend in business and that Sunday would be their last day running the Inn. Also I was to be their only guest that evening and that they were leaving by 6:00pm for the evening.
All I could think about was the Overlook Hotel in the movie “The Shining” and the rumors that I read online that the Narrowsburg Inn was haunted. The owners assured me that there were no ghosts at the hotel, and I would be fine. They showed me to my room toward the back of the hotel with a view of the park and the river in the distance.
For $100, I thought it was very nice (See my review on TripAdvisor). It had a nice large bedroom with a small sitting area and bathroom with another small sitting area. The whole Inn had been renovated and made to look rustic to match the environment of the town.
The views of the Delaware River from the bridge in Narrowsburg
The Narrowsburg Inn at 182 Bridge Street
https://narrowsburginnnarrowsburg2.mybistro.online/
I had time to unpack and then explore the town while my hosts returned to their work. Downtown Narrowsburg is right around the corner from the Inn and is a nice walk down the road (The Narrowsburg Inn has since been renovated since I stayed there in 2019 and I have no pictures of it).
In 2024, the Narrowsburg Inn was full and I stayed at the new Darby Hotel just across the bridge in Pennsylvania.
The Darby Hotel at 9 Manor Road in Beach Lake, PA
https://www.facebook.com/StayatDarby/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Darby Hotel is a new hotel to the area and is a five minute walk across the bridge from Downtown Narrowsburg. This little hotel which was once a nursing home has been transformed to a hipster hotel with game rooms, wonderful jazz music in the lobby and at breakfast and the most comfortable beds. They had a fire pit at night and a wonderful continental breakfast in the morning. I slept soundly that evening and enjoyed walking the grounds in the morning.
The Common area of the Darby Hotel
The firepit on the grounds at night
My bedroom and the dreamy bed
The Continental Breakfast in the morning which is part of the package
The grounds of the hotel
Narrowsburg had once been a sleepy little logging and fishing town that had become depressed with the economy of Upstate New York until the artists and restaurateurs discovered the town again and made it the ‘Brooklyn’ of the Catskills. The downtown is filled with innovative ‘farm to table’ restaurants, some very expensive galleries and shops (these do not cater to the locals) and some excellent views of the Delaware River.
I think Narrowsburg is going through its second transition as some of the more expensive stores have closed up and some newer ones look like they have been planned.
Downtown Narrowsburg, NY in the Fall of 2024
The small four block downtown is filled with clothing and food stores, small gift shops and galleries and some interesting restaurants. Most of the stores were closed by 5:00pm and would not be opening until 11:00am the next day so there was not much to do but window shop. I walked the whole downtown and passed the grain factory at the end of the block and wondered how long it would be operating with this wave of change. It was nice to see the old and new next to one another and how the town is remaking itself.
Downtown Narrowsburg, NY post office
Downtown Narrowsburg with the Heron Restaurant in the background
https://welcometonarrowsburg.com/explore
I had time to walk ahttps://welcometonarrowsburg.com/exploreround the river and the bridge that lead to Pennsylvania and don’t miss out on this breathtaking view. It is really something to look down the river and see woods and rock formations as well as see the view of the “Big Eddy”, the bend in the Delaware River in the middle of the downtown. The river bends to create a type of lake that naturally flows. At one time, this is where the logging industry used to move the logs downstream but now its used for fishing, boating and photography.
The Bridge over the Delaware River
The views of Delaware River in the Fall 2024
After the walk downtown and saw how busy The Heron Restaurant was that evening, I decided to walk a little further to work up my appetite and walked around the other blocks and look at the old homes and small farms that surrounded the downtown. Right down the road there was even a small historic cemetery and Fort Delaware were right down the road from the Inn.
The views of the ‘Big Eddy’ of the Delaware River from the Downtown Narrowsburg
Dinner at The Heron Restaurant was beyond my expectations (See review on TripAdvisor). The whole experience was excellent. From the warm greeting that I got at the host desk, to the view from my deck table (if the weather is nice it is highly recommended that you get a table on deck facing the river) which is amazing, to the friendly and welcoming service. It was one of the best meals I had eaten in a long time. What was nice was the restaurant was decorated for the Halloween holidays and it was pretty spectacular.
The artsy entrance to The Heron Restaurant at 40 Main Street
The sign that welcomes you to the restaurant
http://theheronrestaurant.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Heron Restaurant during October 2024
The inside of the restaurant during October of 2024 with Halloween decor
Choosing to sit on the outdoor terrace at sunset
The outdoor dining that overlooks the Delaware River
Enjoying a Bellini before dinner and toasting my father on the Tenth Anniversary of his passing
My toast to my father with much love!
What is nice about The Heron is that the prices are very fair for the portions you receive and everything I had was consistently delicious. I started off with a side salad of fresh greens with a homemade vinaigrette dressing, which was a small side dish that could have passed for an appetizer. It was more than enough. It was a combination of mixed greens, red onions, carrots and radish which was crunchy and delicious.
The Mixed Green Salad to start the meal
The salad was crisp and tossed with a light dressing
For my entree, I ordered the Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy with a side of mac & cheese that was made with three cheese, caramelized onions and baked bread crumbs . Trust me when I say that the sides of salad and mac & cheese are more than enough. The appetizer portions were much larger and would be too much with a full entree.
My Fried Chicken and Mashed Potato dinner (there were no sides of Mac & Cheese on the menu on this visit)
The Fried Chicken was excellent. When you have a free range organic chicken you can tell the difference in flavor with that and a frozen chicken from KFC. The chicken was moist, succulent and flavorful. The outside had been coated with a crunchy breading that was perfectly fried and crisp. The mashed potatoes were loaded with butter and the mushroom gravy had a rich flavor to it. The mac & cheese must have contained three cheeses and was sharp, gooey delight. The entree was delicious.
I highly recommend the Fried Chicken the Heron Restaurant
For dessert in 2019, I skipped the rich, heavier desserts (even though I really wanted one) and opted for the homemade grapefruit sorbet which was light and tart and the perfect ending to spectacular meal. In 2024, that dessert was no longer available and I wanted some comfort food to end the meal. I had the Lemon Ricotta Cake with a pot of Tea for my dessert. Talk about heavenly. The dense cake was served with a side of fresh whipped cream.
My dessert, the Lemon Ricotta Cake with Hot Tea on a cool October night
The dessert was perfect on a cool October night
The view was the deck was just as breathtaking! As I waited for dinner to arrive, the view changed from a sunny evening that gave way to a beautiful sunset over the “Big Eddy” and the mountains to a starry night where you could almost touch the constellations. I could see the ‘Big Dipper’ perfectly from my table. It was the perfect compliment to the wonderful food and excellent service.
The people dining on the patio The Heron Restaurant looking over the “Big Eddy”
I was the last one left on the terrace which had such beautiful views of the stars
After dinner was over, I walked around the quiet downtown and walked over to the small deck that is next to the stores down the road and looked at the stars. Up in the mountains you don’t have all the light pollution of the City and you can really see all the stars and admire the constellations. The walk was the end of a perfect evening.
The Skeleton inside the restaurant greeting you and watching you leave
The Mummy Lady outside the restaurant
When I got back to the Inn, it was quiet. There was one light on at the other side of the building over the kitchen. I guess one of the cooks stays there. Outside that, when I walked in I saw the empty kitchen and dining room. I walked up the creaky stairs to see the other empty rooms and arrived back in my own warmly lite room and got ready for bed.
Downtown Narrowsburg at night with a full moon by the bridge
If there is a ghost in this Inn, I did hear them. I sunk immediately into the soft, firm, comfortable bed and went fast asleep. When I mean its quiet up here it is silent. I did not hear a peep and slept soundly the whole night. Since the owners were not coming back until noon the next day, I could sleep in and had one of the best night’s sleep since the trip to Cape May. All that driving wore me out.
The owners had recommended Gerard’s Cafe at 119 Kirks Road the next morning for breakfast (See review on TripAdvisor). It had been an old gas station that had been turned into a restaurant (I think they still pumped gas there). It was a pleasant little cafe where all the local farmers ate and caught up on their gossip.
Gerard’s Cafe is now called “Proper to Go” and is a gourmet grocery store
I had a sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich with a side of hashbrowns ($10.95) and a blueberry Danish that had been brought in from a local bakery ($2.00) and everything was simple and delicious. The hashbrowns could have been warmer but overall it was a nice meal. It was fun watching the staff interact with the local guys and some of them went in the back to kid with the staff and give the cooks a hard time. It is a very nice place to eat if you want to go where the locals eat.
The Sausage Egg and Cheese sandwich was excellent (the restaurant is no longer open)
Since none of the downtown stores open until 11:00am, I stopped at Fort Delaware down the road. Fort Delaware is a local historical site (See review on TripAdvisor and VisitingaMuseum.com) that is a recreation of an old fort that used to be on the Pennsylvania side of river.
The Historic sign
The fort was created in the 1950’s as a local tourist attraction by an area resident historian who later sold it the area Parks system. The fort was open for touring on my first visit and I got to see the grounds. In 2024, it was closed as they were preparing for a Haunted Halloween event.
Fort Delaware at 6615 NY-97 in Narrowsburg, NY
https://sullivanny.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/FortDelaware
https://www.facebook.com/fortdelawareny/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The site has three homes that recreate life in the fort as well as a working blacksmith shop and areas for spinning cloth and cooking. There are actors walking around demonstrating their crafts and talking to the visitors. It is a nice place to take the family if they are interested in history. If you visit the fort, remember to take time to walk all around the upper decks of the fort to look inside.
The next day after a relaxing breakfast and a quick run through Downtown Narrowsburg, I headed home. I had to drive down the shore to visit both Point Pleasant and Seaside Heights to check out their Boardwalks to see how the towns were celebrating Halloween. So there was a lot of driving I had to do this entire weekend before I resumed classes on Monday. I dragged my class work with me on the trip and managed to grade all my papers over dinners both in Narrowsburg and Seaside Heights.
The Aquarium was packed with people going to the special programming. The lines were so long that I did not bother. I had been there over the summer and had a lot of fun inside. The aquarium is very interactive and I loved the feedings that I saw in the summer.
The seal feedings were a lot of fun. The seals they have at this aquarium were both disabled and needed to be in a controlled environment. One had a flipper amputated and had a tough time swimming and the other was blind. They both seemed so grateful that people were helping them and were both very aware of human contact.
The harbor seal was a little charmer
She was always looking around, watching everything we were doing
The little harbor seal could not have been friendlier to the crowd and more engaging. She just showed the crowd what she could do and proceeded to swim around, eat and enjoy herself. She was so used to being around humans she acted like one herself.
The blind seal was just as friendly
The larger seal seemed so at home and comfortable around humans she seemed so relaxed during the feeding. You can tell she was well taken care of by the handlers.
She was also very playful
After the feeding was over and most people left, I stayed to say goodbye to the little harbor seal and she gave me such an innocent look. I just wiggled my mustache at her as she stared back at me.
How can you resist that look?
I walked through the upstairs open pools before I headed downstairs and watched the turtles watching us. Both the Spotted Turtles and the Diamondback turtles just popped in and out and stared at us.
The Northern Diamondback turtle was funny. He just bobbed his head around and looked at all of us looking at him. It is so interesting to watch wildlife observe us and form an opinion. It would be an eye opener if they could talk and form an observation on us watching them.
The Diamondback turtles staring at us
The Spotted Turtle
The Spotted Turtle kept looking at us as well
Both turtles must be so used to humans looking at them, I swear that they are forming their own observation of us. If they were born and raised in captivity, they must be used to us as well.
The one thing I can say about the aquarium from what I observed is that the mammals and aquatic like are very well taken care of and the tanks are very clean. The employees here really take good care of the marine life and of the aquarium itself. I found the staff engaging and knowledgeable on their assigned displays. They interacted with the public very engaged and that’s what made this trip here so enjoyable.
When I came back in October for the Halloween holidays, the aquarium was mobbed with people trying to get in for the Halloween special events inside. I did not even bother getting in line but just walked the Boardwalk to see the decorations. “Boo at the Boardwalk” was a big deal and people came out in droves.
Halloween in 2024 in Point Pleasant with “Boo at the Boardwalk”
https://jenkinsons.com/event/boo-at-the-boardwalk-3
My review on TripAdvisor:
My TripAdvisor review of the Aquarium:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
“Boo at the Boardwalk” Halloween 2024
“Boo at the Boardwalk”
“Boo at the Boardwalk”
“Boo at the Boardwalk”
Trust me, Halloween is a big deal at the Jenkinson Boardwalk. There were all sorts of activities. Considering that it was almost 72 degrees that day, the Boardwalk was mobbed with people that Sunday afternoon. Everyone was sweating on the Boardwalk and a lot of people were wearing shorts. So much for the Fall!
Classes got even tougher for me as we going into Midterms and all my students were getting their Team projects so there was a lot going on between Mondays and Thursdays. Then on the long weekends I kept running from one section of New Jersey to the Hudson River Valley and then trips down the shore. I really stretched myself trying to cram as much as I could get done before the day was over.
I could not wait for weekends in October. Classes were rough and having over a hundred and thirty students can be taxing but I still managed to get the job done. As I was getting my second round of research papers graded, on the third weekend of October I traveled back up to the Hudson River Valley for a Holiday Tea at the Mills Mansion Staatsburgh. It was the first Halloween Tea since the one I attended in 2019 and the program was very similar to the one we had then.
I have been a Friend of the Mills Mansion now for about four years finding that I was going to a lot of their events it just made it easier to join and get priority on their special events which are enjoyable. The ‘Halloween Tea’ was one of them the opened the holiday season.
The slide show as we were about to begin the lecture at the Staatsburg Mansion
https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/staatsburgh/details.aspx
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The table set for the Halloween Tea
The guests arriving for the Halloween Afternoon Tea
The friendly witches getting ready to greet guests
This event was a tea and lecture of how the Victorians recreated Halloween from a dark more countryside evening wrapped in mystery to an engaging urban event with costumes, specialty foods and traditional events like apple bobbing that guests then made their own. Local Historian Carol Kohan discussed how the event went from a dark rural event to fun and engaging holiday.
The celebration was spooky and fun
From the old traditions to new ones
The Victorian’s made everything elaborate and overdone and the Halloween celebrations were ‘taken up a notch’ with elaborate costumes, parties, bonfires and desserts and candies that were to be served. There were special invitations and cards that were to sent and rules of etiquette.
The Ghosts and Ghouls of the holidays
Following the Civil War and at a time when disease was not understood the way it is now, there was an interest in spiritualism and seances were in vague as people want to reach out to their loved ones. So having a medium at a party was part of the activity. The Victorians knew how to transform a holiday.
The Menu for the afternoon
Our tables numbers on the table
During the discussion, we enjoyed an afternoon tea of the specialty Staatsburg Tea blend, a variety of finger sandwiches, pumpkin and cranberry scones and many types of pastries including mini pumpkin cheesecakes, tiny devil’s food cupcakes and assorted sweet cookies. The caterer always does a nice job with the food and service here.
The food at these function are excellent and plentiful. These were the current and raison scones
The Assorted delicious Tea Sandwiches
Sweets and cakes Afternoon tea here is wonderful
The estate in the Fall of 2024
The estate during the Fall of 2024
After the tea was over, I took a tour of the mansion. After my afternoon at Staatsburgh, I went mansion hopping and took pictures of the foliage at Wilderstein by Rhinebeck and then at the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park. I worked my way back down Route Nine to my last event of the evening, the ‘Ghost Tour’ at the Knox Headquarters site. It was a very unique event.
My first stop was Wilderstein just as the house was closing for the afternoon. The last of the guests were relaxing on the patio overlooking the Hudson River as the docents started to close up the house. The views of the Hudson River from the house are spectacular.
The Wilderstein Estate 330 Morton Road in Rhinebeck, NY in the height of the foliage
https://www.facebook.com/p/Wilderstein-Historic-Site-100057653822538/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://visitingamuseum.com/tag/wilderstein-mansion/
The most amazing views of the Hudson River in the Fall of 2024
The colorful fall foliage of the Hudson River at Wilderstein
The beauty of the Wilderstein estate
After I visited Wilderstein, I went to the Vanderbilt Estate in Hyde Park, where the last of the tours for the day were completely sold out and the parking lot was really busy. People were touring the grounds and looking over the Hudson River. These old estates had some of the most prime space along the river.
The Vanderbilt mansion facing the Hudson River around the time of the setting of the sun
https://www.nps.gov/vama/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderbilt_Mansion_National_Historic_Site
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
The views of the Hudson River from the Vanderbilt Mansion
The last home of Fredrick Vanderbilt
I could tell why Fredrick Vanderbilt loved this house so much
After I toured the grounds of both of these wonderful mansions, it was the trip down both Route 9’s past all the other historical sites that were closing for the afternoon. The whole Hudson Valley was busy that afternoon.
I attended the Halloween events at the Knox Headquarters when in the spirit of the 18th Century Gothic Literature, an author took us on a tour of treason and tides turning during New Windsor Cantonment and inside the Knox Headquarters. The ghosts of the past tried to find a traitor in the midst of the war.
Meeting the ghosts of the author and her characters on the site of the Knox family estate
The Knox House at 289 Old Forge Road is lit for the Halloween holidays had a eerie look to it that night
https://parks.ny.gov/historic-sites/5/details.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knox%27s_Headquarters_State_Historic_Site
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VistingaMuseum.com:
The Ghosts trying to find a traitor in the ranks
The Ghosts of the past trying to find a traitor during the war
Leaving the Continental Army camp after the performance was over that evening
We walked the estate and followed the storyline with the actors. There were people on both sides of the war who thought they were right. It was an interesting Halloween event. Then it was the quick trip home to relax.
The week before Halloween, the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association head it’s Forth Annual Halloween House & Merchant Decorating Contest, which was a huge success. The contest took place as I was giving my students their midterms and as I prepared for the Halloween Parade. It was the week from Hell as it was a series of late nights and taking my computer and all my paperwork with me. I never worked so hard. Last year, throw in Grad School and three massive projects and three research papers and you know why last year my Halloween blog was filled of nights of exhaustion. At here I did not have the three classes at NYU but this time I had the additional class with another thirty students so it was just hard.
It was a banner year in ‘Haunted Hasbrouck Heights’ as a record number of Hasbrouck Heights residents decorated their homes for what has now become the start of the Holiday season. ‘In our town of Halloween’ we searched for the best ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night to find the best house and merchant that best represents the spirit of the Halloween holidays. This is my forth year as the Chairman of the Hasbrouck Heights Halloween House Decorating Contest and I have never seen so much creativity in our town.
The Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association Halloween House & Merchant Decorating Contest:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/55559
We found that our winners were two members of the community that had been winners in previous contests, who really stepped up their game and created displays that dazzled the judges unanimously, Heights Floral Shoppe for a third straight year and the Fiduccia family of 85 Woodside Avenue for a second year since winning two years ago. The judges were blown away by their creativity and ingenuity in creating such fantastic displays.
Our Merchant Division is starting to grow with more of our Downtown merchants decorating their windows for the Halloween season. We wish more would get involved but the clear winner is now a three time winner with not just the most amazing windows but interior as well.
The Heights Flower Shoppe dazzles during day and night
‘I love Halloween,” owner Ray Vorisek said. “We like to use our creativity in the windows. I am always adding on and looking for new things for the display. We have been so busy lately that we were not able to finish adding some of the newer pieces for the store.”
The witches, goblins and ghosts in the display at Heights Flower Shoppe
The windows were decorated with flying witches and beasts smiling on their journeys while a howling wicked witch of the west stood guard in the front of the store. The interior was a wonderland of Halloween decorations and candies perfect for any Halloween event and party.
The inside is decorated for a Halloween get together
The candy selection for you little goblins
The store both inside and out was decorated to the hilt with items for sale and the displays.
Three time winner Ray Vorisek with HHMA Halloween Chairman Justin Watrel
Winner and owner of Heights Flower Shoppe Ray Vorisek in front of his store.
Our runner up the year was Healing 4 the Soul, the gift shop and café that is one of the newer additions to our business district. The business is owned by residents Renee and Dawn Pikowski. The windows were simple and creative and elegant.
The enchanting windows of witches and pumpkins
The spiritual windows up close
“We love to decorate our windows,” said co-owner Nicole Pikowski “ we strive to be creative. You will always see different displays at each holiday.” The store was decorated with beautiful witches wishing everyone a Happy Halloween.
The inside of the Cafe for Healing 4 the Soul
The enchanting gifts at Healing 4 the Soul
There are a lot of lotions and potions and sweet treats to eat inside that are all handmade in house. The Halloween fragrances abound the store. More of our merchants got very creative this year and we are hoping to see more next year.
Chairman Justin Watrel presenting the Runner Up Merchant award to Co-Owner Renee Pikowski
HHMA Halloween Merchant Decorating Winner Renee Pikowski
In the House Decorating Division it was a difficult decision for judges who drove around many days both day and night to see the houses. Of all the wonderful houses we visited all over Hasbrouck Heights, one home was on the top of every list of each judge and that was 85 Woodside Avenue.
The Fiduccia family had been our winners in the Second Annual contest and stepped up their game by adding all sorts of new elements to the yard to be the winners again in 2024. The vote was unanimous amongst all five judges.
85 Woodside Avenue at night
These are some videos on the winning home’s video display that won the contest. These were amazing and so spooky:
Video of the display of the Archway in the yard:
Video of the window display on the second floor of the house:
Video on the yard and video displays:
Ghosts and ghouls lined the yard performing all sorts of interesting acts
Skeletons lined the yard awaiting the crowds of Trick or Treaters visiting on Halloween Night
The Fiduccia family in their family ‘skeleton’ costumes
The Fiduccia family with their second year win!
The display during the day was just as impressive as it is at night
Matt Fiduccia said that he really wanted to add new things to the display. “We found a lot of new items that became available and added them to the display. I created the arch for the ‘Ghostbuster-like video’. We added the projectors to the windows on the second level of the house as well. There are a lot of new decorations on the market now for Halloween.”
The house not only had sculptures and mannequins of all types but creatures, skeletons and ghouls that lines the yard. In the archway in the front yard was a running video of apparitions from movies like ‘Ghostbusters’ and ‘Poltergeist’. In the upstairs windows of the home were running videos of desperate souls and violent blows. Each part of the house had its own storyline. It was a well-deserved win.
The Fiduccia family together with their second win for the Halloween House Decorating Contest
The Judges Marc Mancuso, Chairman Justin Watrel and Vinnie DeCicco from the Hasbrouck Heights Men’s Association with winner Matt Fiduccia
With so many wonderful houses to choose from, the judges narrowed it down to three homes as the runners up. There were so many that we liked but each judge was asked to narrow it down to three and it was pretty much unanimous amongst the five of us. Just like the winner, the judges had a short list of the runners up and three homes captured our imagination.
The first two were previous runners up who upped their game and had extraordinary displays of creativity. One was at 36 Hamilton Avenue, the home of Alex, Laura and Scarlet Pena. The other was at 115 Ottawa Avenue the home of Dennis Hall. The displays were both intriguing and imaginative both during the day and night. Like the winners, everyone stepped up the decorations with lights and sound effects and added that special touch to their homes that made it stand out.
Our third was a house on the Hasbrouck Heights border in Lodi that captured the imagination of each judge at 236 Paterson Avenue. The house had a bevy of creatures displayed both in and out of the house. All the judges kept passing it at night so impressed by it we did not realize that it was on the border of Hasbrouck Heights in Lodi, NJ.
“My grandfather used to decorate his house and people used to travel to visit it, so I wanted to keep that tradition going,” said Runner up Jay Logan. “We keep dreaming up new ideas for the display and we keep adding to it.”
Jay and Ann Logan of Lodi were one of the three Runners up for the contest
“We didn’t even know that there was a contest going on,” said Anne Logan. “We live right on the border of Hasbrouck Heights and Lodi, so we feel like we are part of both communities.” The Logan’s turned their display on and lit up and roared. The Logan’s are active members of both communities and were surprised and very excited about their win.
236 Paterson Avenue at night
The ghost and ghouls in front of 236 Paterson Avenue
236 Paterson Avenue during the day
Chairman Justin Watrel awarding the Logan’s their award.
At 26 Hamilton Avenue, Alex and Lauren Pena and their daughter, Scarlett added at lot to their and their display had more horrors in each section of the yard and house. “We have a lot of fun decorating on Halloween and everyone is impressed by the front yard display,” Lauren explained.
26 Hamilton Avenue was Runner Up last year as well
36 Hamilton winners Lauren and Scarlet Pena in front of their home with Chairman Justin Watrel
The Skeleton surgery in front of 26 Hamilton Avenue
36 Hamilton during the day
The mother and daughter Runner Up winners Lauren and Scarlet Pena
The last house on the Runner Up list was 115 Ottawa Avenue which had an honorable mention last year in the contest and has been noted on the list since the first year of the contest. Owner Dennis Hall accepted the Runner Up award with much excitement. “I love decorating the house for Halloween. The kids really seem to love it when they come here Trick or Treating. We are a very popular house. I added the sound effects and have several new pieces that I did not have time to put out for next year. You will have to come back next Halloween.”
115 Ottawa Avenue
115 Ottawa Avenue by the doorway
Runner Up and previous Honorable mention winner Dennis Hall Second next to his ghoulish display that was lit for the night of the presentation
115 Ottawa Avenue drinking the day
We want to thank all the members of the Hasbrouck Heights community for their wonderful displays and with a little extra decoration here and sound effect there can make a big difference in the judging.
Before I headed into the city for an overnight stay the night of the parade, I went to the Halloween events at the Harlem Meer in the northern section of Central Park. For years I had wanted to see the Pumpkin Flotilla. This is when hundreds of lit carved pumpkins are paddled around the Harlem Meer at sunset. I have never seen this section of the park so crowded. Being 77 degrees that night, families crowded the park creating crafts and children in costume were having a ball playing with each other and enjoying the activities. It was when it turned dark, the eerie and exciting events of the water activities started.
The Harlem Meer in late October 2024 before sunset
Every year the park has all sorts of activities for families like pumpkin painting, costumes contests and refreshments. The conclusion of the sent they have the pumpkin parade.
The Harlem Meer and the Dana Center right before sunset and the activities begin
I had never seen the Harlem Meer so crowded before especially with lots of little kids. Families were enjoying the Halloween activities of pumpkin carving and painting, games and little treats that the kids got (I never saw anything as it was gone quickly). The festivities were just ending as I raced from class to get into the City before the Pumpkin Flotilla started at dusk. It was still light outside so I got to enjoy the exhibition inside the Dana Discovery Center, “The Gates”, on the history of the various gates people use to enter Central Park.
The Gates Exhibition at the Dana Exploratory Center
https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/charles-a-dana-discovery-center
https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/attractions/harlem-meer/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Gates Exhibition
The Gates Exhibition
The start of the Pumpkin Flotilla
Then the fun began when the sun went down and the Halloween music started to play on the load speaker. Then two people canoeing started to paddle around the Harlem Meer Pond with lit Jack O’Lanterns following them. They started at dusk but when the sun finally went down, the real magic began.
Sunset at the Meer
Sunset at the Meer
Sunset on the Meer
The pumpkins of the Pumpkin Flotilla
Paddling around the Meer
Video:
For the next hour, one gentleman started paddling around the Meer then followed by another and they circled the pond for about an hour. Everyone was jockeying for space as we all tried to take the perfect pictures.
The paddling around the Meer
The Pumpkin Flotilla at darkness
Video of the paddling:
Harlem Meer at night:
I stayed in the park taking pictures as the guys finished paddling around. The park had a almost spooky and mysterious look to it at sunset. I just wanted to get out of Central Park when it got dark. Too many bad memories of things happening. I headed over to the East Side
I stopped at the Bamboo House for a quick dinner before I left for home. The one nice aspect of this small take out place is that is has a nice place to sit down and eat. It isn’t the fanciest place but is a nice place to sit down and have a relaxing meal.
The inside of the dining area of Bamboo House is very nice for a takeout establishment.
https://www.seamless.com/menu/bamboo-house-1509-lexington-ave-new-york/1295116
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
https://diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/tag/reasonable-chinese-restaurants-in-new-york-city/
I stopped by the restaurant for a late night dinner and had the General Tso’s Chicken with Pork Fried Rice and a pint of Hot and Sour Soup. It was perfect on a cool October night.
My dinner that night
The Hot & Sour Soup was perfect. The spiciness of the soup really opened me up. It had such a rich flavor to it. The General Tso’s Chicken had a nice tangy and spicy flavor to it to complimented by the Pork Fried Rice.
The Spicy Hot& Sour Soup
The General Tso’s Chicken was delicious
This small gem by the Lexington Houses is very good and I look forward to dining here in the future. They have a very nice selection of meals for a reasonable price. It was a wonderful dinner and a great way to end the evening. To work off dinner, I walked from East 98th Street back to Port Authority down Park and Madison Avenues, stopping on the side streets to look at the Halloween decorations. I took so many pictures of displays because I knew the second the Halloween Parade was over, everyone would take down their decorations by Saturday and the Christmas decorations would start to go up.
For some reason East 95th Street off Fifth Avenue especially between Park and Lexington Avenue, were decorated to hilt. The East 90’s were heavily decorated for Halloween as if there was a competition between the neighbors of these areas. Then when I got into the more commercial 80’s, it seemed to stop. More and more this year I saw more people decorate for the holidays.
Here are some of my favorites from my walk down through the Upper East Side:
There scary tales of the Upper East side
East 95th Street looked like it was in competition for the best decorations
Halloween at 1165 East 98th Street
East 95th Street decorations
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 95th Street
East 92nd Street
East 92nd Street
East 92nd Street
East 92nd Street
East 91st Street
East 79th Street
East 79th Street
This was pretty twisted on East 79th Street
East 79th Street
East 78th Street
East 78th Street
East 78th Street
People on the Upper East Side really decided to decorated and they did. People were really creative and had a lot of fun this year. I saw this in my own community that people are embracing the fun part of Halloween. I think people really wanted to outdo each other.
The next day, I had class in the morning at the college and I could tell that the students were getting antsy that they wanted to get out and enjoy Halloween. I can tell a lot of my students had plans that day and wanted class to end. As soon as class was over, I was on the bus to the City. I found out earlier in the week that Mark, who I had been working with for years at the Performance Gate as a Marshall, was not going to be there and now I was in charge with another Marshall J.J. to run the gate. I had to admit I was nervous.
I really had nothing to worry about as I was well trained and there was a lot of help plus J.J. was a great guy and we got along really well. Our entire Team worked together and the evening went by without a hitch. I had never seen four and a half zoom by so fast.
The Cat Puppets practicing at the parade
The Cat puppets rehearsing at the beginning of the Halloween Parade
A Cat Float in the 2024 Halloween Parade
The Dragon Float at the end of the Halloween Parade
Last float in the Halloween Parade
Me Protecting the Gate at the Halloween Parade with my friend the Dragon
J.J. and I working together at the Halloween Parade
By 8:30pm, the last of the stragglers had come into the parade route. Anyone who arrived late were out of luck anyway as the the floats were long gone. Most of the parade goers were downtown anyway. When we closed the gate, J.J. and the other volunteers left and I stayed to watch what was left of the floats heading up town. By the time I got to the staging area, only two floats were left and the rest were people in costume marching up Sixth Avenue. The parade was winding down by 9:00pm and I walked up Sixth Avenue and followed the parade uptown. Even the Village was heavily decorated for Halloween.
Decorations on East 11th Street
Halloween on East 11th Street
Decorations on East 13th Street in the Village
The crowds were huge and still going strong when I left Da Umberto’s later that evening. One of the police officers said they were on duty until 11:00pm and I thought he was kidding. That really was when the crowds thinned out.
After the parade a group of us went to Da Umberto’s at 107 West 17th Street for dinner as we had in the past
My review on TripAdvisor:
I stayed and had dinner with some of the other volunteers at the parade at Da Umberto’s, an Italian restaurant at the end of the parade route. As I watched the remainder of the parade goers finish their march uptown and the volunteers packing up the puppets and floats, I stopped in for dinner and just relaxed. It was nice to talk to the other people who helped in the parade and exchange notes.
Dinner Buffet at Da Umberto’s
Dinner Buffet at Da Umberto’s of Roasted Potatoes and Brussel Spouts, Penne Vodka and Veal Risotto. The food is as good as it looks!
The food and the service at Da Umberto’s is excellent and we all had a nice time after the parade was over to relax and catch up with each other. The parade was the main topic and its success. It was such a beautiful night and the temperature was still a balmy 65 degrees when I left the restaurant. I had never seen such a warm Halloween but the economic impact of people eating outside, bars jammed with party goers and every restaurant below 23rd Street including the pizzerias and fast food restaurants jammed packed were helping the local economy. Owners may have been tired but looked extremely happy. It ended up being a very nice Halloween for everyone.
As I resumed classes and handed back Midterm exams, (I spent the night at the Residence Inn Downtown and locked myself in the room until 4:00pm the next day grading) there was once last event I attended before it closed for the season. It was the The Pumpkin Blaze up in Croton on the Hudson at the Van Courtland Manor.
I was able to get tickets the Friday night of the last weekend. It was a cool night when I drove up and since it was after Halloween as one of the volunteers at the site said to me, “We see a significant drop in people after Halloween”, the place was empty. There may have been about fifty people when I walked through which was perfect for picture taking. No one was in my way this time and I had plenty of time to walk through and admire the displays.
By the last weekend though, the amount of pumpkins was less and I could see they carved just enough to fill it in for the last weekend. Still I loved the creativity of everyone who contributed to the Blaze.
Arriving to the Pumpkin Blaze on the last weekend of the event. It was quiet on Friday night but was the best for picture taking and viewing all the wonderful displays
Van Cortlandt Manor Pumpkin Blaze in Croton on the Hudson:
My review on TripAdvisor:
I have been to the Blaze over the last ten years and each year displays do change but it is nice to see new things be created. These are some of my favorite displays of the Blaze. I hope you enjoy them.
The Entrance display
The entrance to the Pumpkin Blaze
The entrance path to the Blaze displays and all the Halloween Delights!
The entrance to the Pumpkin Parade
The Carved Pumpkins at the entrance
The Carved Pumpkins at the entrance
The Carved Pumpkins at the entrance of the Blaze
The Carved Pumpkins at the entrance of the Blaze
One of my favorite carved pumpkins
I loved this pumpkin
The main display has not changed much but it is still spectacular. It is an amazing site.
The Tappan Boo Bridge travelling to the ghostly display
The Jellyfish display by the Tappan Boo Bridge
The Headless Horseman display
Video on the Display:
The Pumpkin Merry Go Round
Video on the Merry Go Round:
The Albany Post Road
The Pumpkin Windmill
The Video on this:
The Cafe that they opened for refreshments
The Pumpkin Tunnel
Video on the Pumpkin Tunnel:
The Dinosaur displays
The Pumpkin Serpent
The special effects with the serpent
The Statue of Liberty near the main house
The Van Cortlandt Family home decorated for Halloween
The decorations during the musical performance
The field of pumpkins along the way
The end of the Blaze
The Gift Shop on the last week of the Blaze. The Blaze would close that Sunday.
It really was a wonderful Halloween season. I may have cut back because of work but the things I had volunteered to do and events I participated in made it all worth it. It really was a great start to the holiday season.
Boo!
Places to Visit:
Old Town Hall Museum/Harrison Township Historical Society Inc.
P.O. Box
Mullica Hill, NJ. 08062
(856) 478-4949
https://www.harrisonhistorical.com/
https://m.facebook.com/Harrison-Township-Historical-Society-310499278053/
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Friday Closed/Saturday 1:00pm-4:00pm
Admission: Free but a donation would be appreciated.
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/8879
Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church & Cemetery
54 West Avenue
South Bridgeton, NJ 08302
Check website
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Broad_Street_Presbyterian_Church_and_Cemetery
http://cumberlandnjart.org/cumberland-historic-sites/broad-st-presbyterian-church/
Admission: Free
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7751
Cohanzick Zoo
Mayor Aitken Drive
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
(856) 453-1658
Open: Sunday-Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm
Admission: Free but donations are accepted
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/23956
Historical Society of Penns Grove, Carney’s Point and Oldmans
48 West Main Street
Pennsgrove, NJ 08069
(856) 299-1556
https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Society-of-Penns-GroveCarneys-Point-Oldmans-116286428399994/
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-3:00pm (Seasonal)/Monday-Saturday Closed
Admission: Free but donations are suggested and recommended to help operate the museum
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/8940
Church Landing Farm at Pennsville Township Historical Society
86 Church Landing Road
Pennsville, NJ 08070
(856) 678-4453
http://www.pvhistory.com/museum.htm
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm/ Monday-Saturday Closed/Museum is open from April-December/The Auxiliary buildings are closed when the museum is closed. The community is welcome on Sundays when the museum is open and for community events. Please check the museum website on this.
Admission: Donation suggested/check website
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/7734
The Greater Elmer Area Historical Society
117 Broad Street
Elmer, NJ 08318
(609) 670-0407
https://www.facebook.com/greaterelmerareahistoricalsociety/
http://www.elmerboroughnj.com/GreaterElmerAreaHistoricalSociety.html
Open: Sunday-Friday Closed/Saturday 10:00am-2:00pm (Second Saturday of the Month)
Admission: Free but donations are accepted and encouraged to help fund the museum.
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/8876
Millville Historical Society
200 East Main Street
Millville, NJ 08322
(856) 293-1078
https://www.facebook.com/Millvillehs/
Open: Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm/Monday-Tuesday Closed/Wednesday 1:00pm-4:00pm/Thursday-Saturday Closed
Admission: Free but donations are accepted and recommended to help operate the museum
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/23661
Millville Army Air Field Museum
1 Leddon Street
Millville Airport
Millville, NJ 08832
(856) 327-2347
Open: Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm/Monday By Appointment Only/Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm
Admission: Donation Suggested Adults $10.00/Children 5.00
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/22892
Swedesboro-Woolwich Historical Society Museum
Swedesboro City Hall
1500 Kings Highway/ Second Floor
Swedesboro, NJ 08085
(856) 467-0202
Open: Sunday: third Sunday of the month 1:00pm-4:00pm Monday- Saturday By Appointment only-please call ahead
Admission: Free but donations are accepted
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/22903
Van Cortlandt Manor
5 Riverside Avenue
Croton-on-the-Hudson, NY 10502
(914) 366-6900
Open: See website for seasonal hours
My review on TripAdvisor (Manor and Pumpkin Blaze):
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3677
Rosie’s Farm Market
317 Swedesboro Road
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
(856) 223-9252
https://www.rosiesfarmmarket.com/
https://www.facebook.com/rosiesfarmmarket/
Open: Sunday-Saturday 8:00am-6:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Mood’s Farm Market
901 Bridgeton Pike
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062
(856) 478-2500
https://www.moodsfarmmarket.com/
Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Saturday 8:00am-6:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Fort Delaware
6615 Route 97
Narrowsburg, NY 12764
http://sullivanny.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/FortDelaware
Open: The last weekend in June until Labor Day; Friday-Monday 10:00am-5:00pm (check seasons)
Fee: Adults $7.00/Seniors $5.00/Seniors (62 or older) $4.00
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3299
The Franklin Mineral Museum
32 Evans Street
Franklin, NJ 07416
(973) 827-3481
Home Page
Fee: Combination Museum & Rock Collecting: Adults $15.00/Children 3-16 $10.00/Seniors (65+) & Veterans $12.00 Other packages for just the museum and rock collecting are available. Please check the website.
Open: Sunday 11:00-5:00pm/Monday-Friday 10:00am-4:00pm/Saturday 11:00am-5:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3287
The Sterling Hill Mine Museum
30 Plant Road
Ogdensburg, NJ 07439
(973) 209-7212
https://www.sterlinghillminingmuseum.org/
Fee: Adults $13.00/Seniors (over 65) $12.00/Children 4-12 $10.00
Open: Sunday-Saturday 9:30am-3:30pm Tours depend on time of the season (2:00pm)
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3293
The Vanderbilt Mansion & Estate
National Historic Site
4097 Albany Post Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538
(845) 229-7770
https://www.nationalparks.org/explore-parks/vanderbilt-mansion-national-historic-site
TripAdvisor Review:
My review on VistingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2200
Staatsburgh State Historic Site(The Mills Mansion)
75 Mills Mansion Drive
Staatsburgh, NY 12580
http://www.facebook.com/staatsburghSHS
Open: Thursday-Sunday: 11:00am-5:00pm
TripAdvisor Review:
Hours: Open Thursday-Sunday: 11:00am-5:00pm (the last tour is at 4:00pm)/Open Monday Holidays from April 19th to October 28th. The mansion then closes to prepare for the holiday season. Closed on Thanksgiving and Easter. There are special programs from January to April so please see the website.
Admission: $8.00 for adults/$6.00 for groups and Seniors/Children under 12 are free. Special events have separate fees and can run from $8.00 to $10.00 and above.
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/2137
Wilderstein Historic Site
330 Morton Road
Rhinebeck, New York 12572
(845) 876-4818
Home
Open: Thursday-Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm/Closed Monday-Wednesday
Fee: $10.00 donation at the Holidays/$16.00 Adults/$10.00 Seniors & Students/Children Under 12 free
Visit Wilderstein-With its exquisite Queen Anne mansion and Calvert Vaux designed landscape, this historic estate is widely regarded as the Hudson Valley’s most important example of Victorian architecture.
TripAdvisor Review:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/1642
Jenkinson’s Aquarium
300 Ocean Avenue North
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742
(732) 899-1212
https://www.facebook.com/jenksaquarium/
Admission: Adults $18.00/Seniors $13.00/Children 3-11 $12.00/Children under 2 Free
Open: Sunday-Saturday Check website due to Seasonality
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/19644
Central Park Zoo
Fifth Avenue and East 64th Street
New York, NY 10021
(212) 439-6500
Open: Sunday-Saturday 10:00am-4:30pm
Fee: Adults $12.00/Seniors (65+) $10.00/Children (3-12)$8.00/Total Experience Adults $16.00/Seniors (65+) $15.00/Children (3-12) $12.00
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/5105
Charles A. Dana Discovery Center
Central Park North
New York, NY 10029
(332) 240-3256
https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/charles-a-dana-discovery-center
Open: Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm/Monday Closed/Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm
Admission: Free donations accepted/Become a member of the Central Park Conservatory
My review on TripAdvisor:
Places to Eat:
Majorelle-The Lowell Hotel
28 East 63rd Street
New York, NY 10065
(212) 935-2888
https://www.lowellhotel.com/restaurants-and-bar/majorelle/57-1/
Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Saturday Lunch 12:00pm-4:30pm/Dinner 5:00pm-10:30pm
My review on TripAdvisor”
Perrine-The Pierre Hotel
2 East 61st Street
New York, NY 10065
(212) 940-8195
Open: Sunday 7:00am-4:00pm/Monday 7:00am-3:00pm/Tuesday-Saturday 7:00pm-11:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Hudock’s Frozen Custard Stand
544 Salem Quinton Road
Salem, NJ 08079
(856) 935-5224
https://www.facebook.com/Hudocks-Custard-Stand-155824314452996/
Open: Sunday-Saturday 10:00am-10:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/3072
Four Season’s Doughnuts
275 North Broadway
Pennsville, NJ 08070
(856) 678-3800
https://www.facebook.com/fourseasonsdonuts/
Open: Sunday-6:00am-6:00pm/Monday-Friday 5:15am-6:30pm/Saturday 6:00am-6:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Orient Chinese Restaurant
414 South Broadway
Pennsville, NJ 08070
(856) 678-4021
https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Orient-Chinese-Restaurant-100083171296875/
My review on TripAdvisor:
Bamboo House Chinese Restaurant
1509 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10029
(917) 938-9783
https://www.seamless.com/menu/bamboo-house-1509-lexington-ave-new-york/1295116
Open: Sunday-Saturday 11:00am-10:30pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/5414
McDonalds
260 Route 23 North
Franklin, NJ 07416
(973) 827-2557
https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/location/nj/franklin/rt-23/4332.html?cid=rf:yxt:ron::clicks
Open: Sunday-Saturday 5:30am-11:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Heron Restaurant
40 Main Street
Narrowsburg, NY 12764
(845) 252-3333
http://theheronrestaurant.com/
Open: Sunday 10:00am-4:00pm/Closed Monday-Wednesday/Thursday-Saturday 11:00am-3:00pm-5:30pm-9:00pm (Thursdays) and 5:30pm-10:00pm (Fridays and Saturdays)
My review on TripAdvisor:
Franklin Chicken & Ribs (Now Olluco Bistro in 2024)
535 Route 23 South
Franklin, NJ 07416
(973) 209-0222
Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-8:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Holland American Bakery
246 Route 23 South
Sussex, NJ 07461
(973)-875-5258
https://www.hollandamericanbakery.com/
Open: Tuesday-Saturday 6:00am-6:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Green Valley Farms
997 Route 23 North
Sussex, NJ 07461
(973) 875-5213
https://www.facebook.com/GreenValleyFarmsNJ/
Open: Sunday-Saturday The farm is seasonal so please check the website and Facebook for more information
My review on TripAdvisor:
Da Umberto
107 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011
(212) 989-0303
Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Thursday 12:00pm-11:00pm/Friday 12:00pm-11:30pm/Saturday 5:30pm-11:30pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
Dong Happy Garden
440 South Riverside Avenue #440
Croton on the Hudson, NY 10520
(914) 271-7888
https://www.menupix.com/westchester/restaurants/3212099/Dong-Happy-Garden-Menu-Croton-On-Hudson-NY
Open: Sunday 12:00pm-10:00pm/Monday-Thursday 11:00am-10:30pm/Friday-Saturday 11:00am-11:00pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/6233
Places to Stay:
The Salem River Inn (formerly the Inn at the Salem Country Club)
91 Salem Country Club Road
Salem, NJ 08079
(609) 402-8190
https://salemcountryclubnj.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Darby Hotel
9 Manor Drive
Beach Lake, PA 18405
(844) 730-5504
https://www.facebook.com/StayatDarby/
My review on TripAdvisor:
I needed a break after a week of running around. I had just reached out to my students for their preparation of the first day of class, have been volunteering at the Soup Kitchen and running from the Jersey Shore to the Hudson River Valley attending events, walking Boardwalks, attending festivals and County Fairs and visiting small museums that seem to be open only once a month. It has been a long but productive summer working.
After a long day of volunteering at the Soup Kitchen and walking the Avenues of Gramercy Park for my blog, ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’ (I am trying to finish the neighborhood before school starts), I went to our last members night at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden ‘Little Caribbean Last Lap’, a celebration of the Caribbean Community. It was such a beautiful night for the event.
The Cheery Blossom Esplanade on a beautiful August night
It was a beautiful sunny night in Brooklyn and the gardens were showing their summer finest. It was a warm night and perfect for touring the gardens. The Cherry Blossom Esplanade Fountain looked especially pretty with the water plants and red flowers surrounding it.
The fountain in the Cherry Blossom Esplande
The view of the fountain was especially beautiful with all the plants in full bloom.
The fountain always is bloom during the warmer months
I walked along the paths around the gardens, admiring the flowers and flowering shrubs giving us the last glimpse of summer. Members were relaxing on benches and the lawns all over gardens just as the music started up by the Lotus Ponds. What was impressive was the field of Bleeding Hearts that were in bloom while I was walking the path.
The field of bleeding hearts in the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
When I got to the Lotus Pools, DJ Danglez was playing all sorts of Caribbean dance hits while people were enjoying cocktails and finger foods at the refreshment stands by the Lotus pools.
The music was starting by the Lotus Pools
The evening just getting started at the Brooklyn Botanic
It has been a long summer since graduation on May 17th. I swear my feet have not touched the ground since I crossed that stage at Radio City Music Hall (was that four months ago?) I swear I have run from one thing to another just trying to catch up with my past. I needed an evening of music and a bit of relaxation.
The DJ booth at the top of the pools
The food booths offered items like fried plantains, jerk chicken wings and the bar, Rum Punch and Lemonade with Mint and Rum. It was a long day and the perfect night for a cocktail. Talk about putting you in a relaxing mood.
The Rum Punch at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Bar
The delicious Rum Punch at the Gardens
After a relaxing drink, I walked around and enjoyed the beauty of the gardens while listening to the music.
The beauty of the Gardens by the Lotus Pools
I sat on the hill above the Lotus Pools and watched the DJ spin the tunes. Since there was not enough seating in the pools area many members had the same idea and we just relaxed on the hill and listened to the energetic music.
The DJ spinning Caribbean dance music that evening
Families having a good time that evening
It was a nice way to spend the end of the traditional summer break as the Borough prepares for the Caribbean Parade in a few days. We just hope for good weather that day. As the evening wore on, traditional dancers and stilt walkers entertained the crowds with live musical performances and dance. That was a nice sneak peek before the parade.
We got a first glimpse of the festivities with dancers and stilt walkers
The dancers performing that night
Video on the dancing:
People started dancing along with the performers that night.
People dancing along the pools with the performers that evening
After the performances, the DJ spinned dance music and people got up to dance near the DJ stage. As it got dark, the lights came on and the last hour was a magical night. It really was an entertaining night and a great introduction of the rich Caribbean culture in Brooklyn.
Back on August 27th, 2025:
I found myself in the same position as last year. Overworked from preparing for classes next week, going away for a few days in Upstate New York to Bovina Center and Ithaca for a picture taking session and my evenings reviewing the students resumes. I needed a break from it all so it was back to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for Caribbean Night.
Members Night on the lawn
Listening to Caribbean Reggae
I took some time to walk around the gardens while it was still light out. The gardens were still in full bloom in late August.
The Lotus Pools in the early evening
The colorful flowers lining the pools
The Sunflowers in full bloom
The flowers bursting color
I was not sure if this was an Iris or Lilly
Walking through the Magnolia Gardens in the Summer
Walking through the Shakespeare Gardens
The flowers in the garden in full bloom
There was so much color in the gardens
The garden in peak bloom
Touring the Japanese Gardens
After the quick tour of the gardens, it was time to relax on the lawn and listen to music.
Listening to the DJ spin
It is nice to just sit on the grass and listen to music and relax! This is what I love about the gardens. You can sit down and watch.
The Member’s Night at Twilight
The beauty of Gramercy Park in the Summer of 2024
I started my exploration of Gramercy Park having walked many of its borders in other walks. It seems that the borders between the Flatiron District, Union Square, Rose Hill and NoMAD have become blurred. All these beautiful buildings with their protective lions, mythical creatures and mysterious faces watching and protecting them have a home on all of them.
The elegant brownstones that line the park
Gramercy Park is probably one of the nicest neighborhoods in Manhattan with its historic brownstones, beautiful park and excellent restaurants and shops. The neighborhood is steeped in history and it had been enjoyable to walk around the buildings and read their history.
The Union Square Market is always packed
https://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket/manhattan-union-square-m
As I walked around the Farmers Market, looking over the very over-priced fruits, vegetables and bakery products, I noticed more of the medallions that line the border of Union Square Park. The first one I admired without the sunlight distracting me was the medallion of the layout of the park from the 1800’s.
This is the original layout of the park in 1876 plaque
The collection of medallions around the park’s fringes
The Union Square collection of plaques
The collection of plaques in Union Square Park
The plaques around Union Square Park
The plaques around Union Square Park
I walked around the park and marveled at it on a very hot afternoon. Like most parks in former edgy neighborhoods, it fascinates me how a bunch of twenty year old’s and families sun themselves and socialize where thirty years earlier you would be harassed by homeless, drug dealers and methadone addicts. You still might see them on the fringes of the park but not like in the early 1980’s.
The expansive lawn of Union Square Park
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/union-square-park
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Square,_Manhattan
The park now has a business partnership and I believe a Friends group as well. There are so many activities going on in the park, that I am sure people don’t notice all the chess hustlers and counterculture types on the 14th Street perimeter.
Looking at the southern part of the park facing 14th Street and the southern entrance to Broadway
From Park Avenue South/Union Square East is the extension of the street that lines the eastern end of the park. At the corner of East 15th Street and Union Square East is 101 East 15th Street the old Union Square Savings Bank building.
101 East 15th Street-The Union Square Savings Bank Building/Daryl Roth Theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daryl_Roth_Theatre
The side of the Union Square Savings Bank building
The bank itself was founded in 1848 and moved to this location in 1895. This building was designed by architect Henry Bacon in the neo classical design in 1905 and the building was finished in 1906. The bank closed in 1992 (Wiki).
I walked to the small triangle of Union Square Park that sits between East 15th and 14th Streets and came across a sculpture that I had never seen before on all my walks back from NYU. Maybe I just missed it when it was dark out. It was a depiction of an urban legend of the NYC sewers.
The alligator sculpture ‘N.Y.C. Legend’
The sewer cover top of the sculpture
The sign for artist Alexander Klingspor
Artist Alexander Klingspor
Artist Alexander Klingspor is Swedish born artist who works both in the United States and Sweden. He apprenticed under American artist Mark English. He is known for his paintings and sculptures (Wiki).
I then started my walk up Park Avenue South which is actually the western border of Gramercy Park. I have always been impressed by the W Hotel on the corner of 16th Street and Park Avenue South at 201 Park Avenue South.
The W Hotel at 201 Park Avenue South
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W_New_York_Union_Square
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/nycnu-w-new-york-union-square/overview/
Review on TripAdvisor:
This luxury hotel has an impressive history of being one of the innovators of luxury in the Marriott chain. The W Hotel concept was known for its edginess in design and the creativity in its restaurants. Things must be progressing as their customer gets older because their General Manager spoke to our Leadership class before I graduated from NYU and said they are softening the music (finally!) and changing the designs in the rooms. Maybe there will finally be a place to put your clothes.
The historic plaque on the building
This historic building was designed by the architects D’oench & Yost in the Modern French mode and built in 1911. Like most historic office buildings below 23rd Street, the are being refitted as hotels and condos as the desire for high ceilings and soaring lobbies have become desirable. This building had been designed for the Germanic Life Insurance Company Wiki).
I continued up Park Avenue South to East 20th Street to see another familiar building on the border of the neighborhood, 250 Park Avenue South. This building seems to be on the border of many Manhattan neighborhoods.
250 Park Avenue South
The embellishments on 250 Park Avenue South
The embellishments on 250 Park Avenue South on both sides of the building
Barbounia 250 Park Avenue
Review on TripAdvisor:
250 Park Avenue South was designed by architects Rouse & Goldstone in 1911 in the Neo-Classical design. You have to look at the building from a distance to appreciate all the interesting embellishments on the sides and top of the building.
237 Park Avenue with it’s lion guardians
https://www.apartments.com/237-park-ave-new-york-ny/kcb010c/
The building 237 Park Avenue was plain but I thought these lions the adorned the build were pretty cool.
https://www.corcoran.com/building/flatiron/303
The building was designed by William Dilthey and built in 1898. The building’s style, scale and materials contribute to the special architectural and historic characteristics of the Ladies Mile District (Corcoran Group).
As you walk up Park Avenue South, the first building that makes an impression is 251 Park Avenue South. This elegant office building with its large display windows and clean lines shows of the store inside. The office building was built in 1910 and has large windows both on the ground level and towards the top of building.
251 Park Avenue South
https://moovitapp.com/index/en/public_transit-251_Park_Avenue_South-NYCNJ-site_22867315-121
One building that does standout from the others on Park Avenue South is the Calvery Church at 277 Park Avenue. The church was established in 1832 and moved to its current location in 1842. The current church was designed in the Gothic Revival style by James Renwick Jr., who designed St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
277 Park Avenue South-Church of the Calvery
https://www.calvarystgeorges.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvary-St._George%27s_Parish
Another interesting building, I looked up and admired while walking up Park Avenue South was 281 Park Avenue South, the former Church Mission House. The building was designed by architects Robert W. Gibson and Edward J. Neville in the Medieval style and was built between 1892 and 1894. It was built for the Episcopal Church’s Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (Wiki). It now houses the photography museum The Fotografista Museum.
281 Park Avenue South-The Fotografiska Museum (The Church Mission House)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Missions_House
https://www.fotografiska.com/nyc/
Another impressive building, I passed before East 23rd Street is 105 East 22nd Street the former United Charities Building. This is the final building in what was once known as “Charity Row” (Wiki). The building was designed by architect R. H. Robertson and the firm of Rowe & Baker. It was built by John Stewart Kennedy in 1893 for the ‘Charity Organization Society’ (Wiki).
105 East 22nd Street-United Charities Building
The details of 105 East 22nd Street
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Charities_Building
The embellishments on the building
The embellishments on the building
I started walking down East 20th Street from Lexington Avenue. I crossed East 23rd Street which is the edge of the neighborhood shared with Gramercy Park, Rose Hill and Peter Cooper Village further down the block. This busy thoroughfare is lined with a lot stores, restaurants and many interesting buildings that leads to the East River.
I stopped for lunch at a Dim Sum restaurant named Awe Sum Dim Sum at 160 East 23rd Street and it was just excellent. I took my friend, Maricel, here for lunch when it first opened and we ate through most of the menu (see my reviews on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com).
The Awe Sum Dim Sum at 160 East 23rd Street
The menu items that the restaurant carries.
The restaurant has the most amazing appetizers to choose from that are all made in house and served fresh to you either at your table inside or one of the many tables outside (while the weather holds out). On my trip with Maricel, we ate our way through the Fried Dumplings, the Chicken Siu Mai, the Spring Rolls, the Baked BBQ Pork Buns, the Scallion Pancakes and the Soup Dumplings. On my trip today, I ordered the Soup Dumplings, Crispy Shrimp Rolls and the Siu Mai with pork and shrimp.
The Soup Dumplings here are the best
So are the Spring Rolls when they are fresh out of the fryer
On one of the trips I had the Pan Fried Pork Buns, Spring Rolls and Roast Pork Buns.
With the cost for each running between $4.00-$6.00, I could eat my way through the menu. The nice part is what a nice contemporary designed restaurant the place is to dine in. Everyone is kept ‘socially distanced’ so it is a nice place to eat.
The inside of Awe Sum Dim Sum
After a nice relaxing lunch, I was ready to continue down East 23rd Street. Criss crossing the street again, I noticed the beauty of 219-223 East 23rd Street. The building has all sorts of griffins and faces glaring out. When you stand across the street, you can admire the beauty of all the carvings on the building along the archways above and the faces staring at you from the tops of windows.
219-223 East 23rd Street
The window details of 221 East 23rd Street
https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/gramercy-park/219-east-23rd-street/7437
Another building that stands out is 304-310 East 23rd Street. This former factory building was built in 1900 and now is the “The Foundry”, a converted condo complex. The amazing detail on the building stands out and you have to admire the stonework and details in the carvings along the building.
304-310 East 23rd Street is a former factory
https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/gramercy-park/the-foundry-310-east-23rd-street/3880
The stone work is a standout on this building
Reaching the end of East 23rd Street, you will see the planned middle class complex of Peter Cooper Village, which has gone market rate and is now getting very upscale and seems to have a younger resident walking around then the usual middle aged residents who used to be on the list to get one of these very desirable apartments.
The entrance to Peter Cooper Village at First Avenue
https://www.petercoopervillage.com/
Across from Peter Cooper Village is the Asser Avery Recreational Center and Playground 392 Asser Avery Place with the famous baths and pools that have been part of the neighborhood for generations.
The Asser Levy Recreation Center and Park at 392 Asser Levy Place
When the baths opened in 1908, the facility was called the East 23rd Street Bathhouse. It was by architects Arnold W. Brunner and William Martin Aiken. Based on the ancient Roman Baths, the architecture was inspired by the “City Beautiful” movement, a turn of the century effort to create civic architecture in the United States that would rival the monuments of the great European capitals (NYCParks.org). The playground next to it opened in 1993.
The architecture by Arnold Brunner and William Martin Aiken resembled a Roman Bath
The fountain at the bathhouses.
The historic plaque.
The Baths and Park was named for Asser Levy, a Jewish trailblazer in colonial times when Mr. Levy and 23 Jews fled from Brazil in 1654 to seek refuge in New Amsterdam. He challenged Governor Peter Stuyvesant when he tried to evict the Jews from the colony. He was the first Jew to serve in the militia and own property in the colony (NYCParks.org).
Asser Levy
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/9876-levy-asser-asser-levy-van-swellem
The border to the east of the neighborhood is combination of the East River Esplanade, FDR Drive and First Avenue. Since First Avenue and FDR Drive are surrounded by a combination of college campus and hospital space, it makes walking around the neighborhood tricky.
When you walk across East 23rd Street to FDR Drive, you have to cross over FDR Drive at East 25th Street behind the VA New York Harbor Healthcare System Hospital complex and the CUNY/Hunter College campus and then cross over the bridge to the Waterside Plaza complex.
The Waterside Plaza complex and the Greenway walkway
https://streeteasy.com/building/waterside-plaza
This series of apartment buildings faces the East River and FDR Drive that leads to the East River Greenway walkway and the Waterside Plaza walkway both surround the complex. The views are breathtaking on a sunny afternoon of the East River and Long Island City.
The East River Greenway and the view of Long Island City.
East River Greenway looking at East 23rd Street
I turned around from the river (which is technically not part of the neighborhood) and walked down First Avenue. First Avenue is an unusual border for the neighborhood in that on one side is the gated communities of Peter Cooper Village from East 23rd to East 20th Streets and Stuyvesant Town which is from East 20th to East 14th Streets and on the border of Avenue C at the very eastern border. These once middle-income housing that once catered to teachers, fire fighters and police have gone market rate in the last twenty years, and you can see the changes in the chain businesses that now line their side of First Avenue.
Peter Cooper Village lining East 23rd Street
Peter Cooper Village on the corner of East 14th Street and First Avenue
Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village was one of the biggest post WWII private developments created in Manhattan. It consists of 110 red brick buildings that spreads over 80 acres of land below East 23rd Street. The complex was developed by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company based on the earlier success of the Parkchester complex in the Bronx. The first buildings opened in 1947. The complex used to be catering to middle class/middle income rent controlled apartments but since 2006 has gone more market rate (Wiki).
I found that you are not allowed to walk around the complex without permission so I just walked around the borders of the complex that had open roads. Please just don’t ‘walk around the complex’ without permission or know someone in the complex. Still I was able to walk through some of the well landscaped corners of the complex. They do a nice job maintaining the complexes.
On the other side of First Avenue just below East 20th Street starts Stuyvesant Town
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuyvesant_Town%E2%80%93Peter_Cooper_Village
The gardens in between the buildings in Stuyvesant Town in the Summer of 2024
On the other side of the street, there are small brick and brownstone buildings housing businesses that cater to the complex with a combination of chain and independent stores. I thought the whole Avenue could use a bit of a makeover. So much of the neighborhood was under scaffolding. Walking down First Avenue I noticed a lot of newer businesses on the complexes side of the street with more upscale restaurants and bars. Now that this is market rate housing and there have been renovations in the complex, a wealthier clientele has moved into the two complexes.
On the business side of First Avenue, it’s a combination of small restaurants such as pizzerias, delis and bodegas and services catering to the residents in both complexes. Here and there are some very reasonable places to eat. From 23rd Street to about 16th Street are businesses that cater not just to the housing complexes across the street but to the office buildings around the corner at East 14th Street.
The independent businesses lining First Avenue and East 21st Street
The independent businesses along First Avenue and 19th Street
Turning onto this part of 14th Street just above Alphabet City, I found I was far away from the old Ladies Shopping District and the beautiful architecture that once housed those stores. That is closer to Fifth Avenue and Broadway. On one side of East 14th Street are new buildings catering to office workers. The northern side of East 14th Street is a series of old brick and brownstone buildings that house small restaurants and bars.
The East 14th Street shopping district is made up of small businesses
Looking up Second Avenue at East 14th Street
As you enter the heart of East 14th Street as I rounded the corner, I saw a tiny fire fighter outside Engine 5 at 340 East 14th Street.
Engine 5 at 340 East 14th Street
https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/32846714/fdny-engine-5-14-st-express/
https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2022/07/the-1881-engine-company-5-340-east-14th.html
Engine 5 was founded as a Volunteer Fire Company in 1865. This firehouse was designed by Napoleon LeBrun & Son in 1881 and is still used today (DaytonianinManhattan.com).
Little Fire Fighter at Engine 5
Looking down East 14th Street shopping and dining district
There is a real diversity of businesses down this stretch of East 14th Street from First to Third Avenues.
Coyote Ugly Bar, famous of the film, at 233 East 14th Street
https://www.facebook.com/CoyoteUglySaloonNYC/
Review on TripAdvisor:
The bar was made famous by the movie of the same name back in 2000.
The trailer for the movie “Coyote Ugly”
Here I noticed a lot of newer buildings that have changed the dynamic of the neighborhood housing small businesses, city agencies and some of the buildings that have become part of the NYU campus. 14th Street is now a hodge lodge of different businesses such as restaurants and stores and a lot of fast-food places catering to the college students and the office workers.
328-330 East 14th Street
https://streeteasy.com/building/328-east-14-street-new_york
https://www.apartments.com/328-e-14th-st-new-york-ny/svj96n5/
This six story walk up apartment building was built in 1900 and is one of the last holdovers in this neighborhood. You have to look up at all the faces staring at you to appreciate it (Streeteasy.com).
The entrance to 328 East 14th Street
The faces staring at you from the entrance of 328 East 14th Street
As you get closer to Union Square Park, you see more of the classic architecture and upscale housing. In an ever-changing Manhattan, this area like every other section of island is being knocked down and rebuilt. The closer to the parks you get, the more upscale things get.
At 124 East 14th at the base the NYU campus at part Palladium Hall is Urbanspace Union Square. There is a selection of upscale restaurants catering not just to NYU students but to the business community as well. This just opened in August 2024 so I had not noticed it when I was recently attending NYU.
Urbanspace Union Square at 124 East 14th Street
https://www.urbanspacenyc.com/union-square
https://www.facebook.com/urbanspace/
I took a quick walk through the food court and looked over the over-priced menus of the restaurants. I could not believe the prices of these places and how it catered to college students but the place was packed. I also saw two young plain clothed policemen looking over the food court and that was a little unnerving but a sign of the times.
The food court in the afternoon
Some of the upscale restaurants at the Urbanspace Food Court
When I arrived back at my starting point in Union Square Park, it was nice to sit on the benches and listen to the street performers practicing their music. The park has been such a relief from the heat and a place to cool down is probably the reason why the wealthy called this home before the Civil War. There is a lot of calm in the park in this very busy crossroads to uptown.
Looking down East 14th Street from Irving Place
Arriving back at Union Square Park in the Summer 2024
Union Square Park in the late summer is quite spectacular
Union Square Park is just spectacular during the Summer and it is nice to just relax on the lawn or sit on the benches and read a book. It is nice to just calm down and relax and enjoy the day. The Gramercy Park area is unique in architecture, parks, restaurants and shops and there will be more to explore in the future.
Please read my other blogs on Gramercy Park:
Day Three Hundred and Twenty Walking the Borders of Gramercy Park:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/51647
Day Three Hundred and Twenty One Walking the Avenues of Gramercy Park:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/53432
Day Three Hundred and Twenty Four Walking the Streets of Gramercy Park:
It was another hot day in Manhattan. I worked a double shift at the Soup Kitchen so I was there until 3:00pm. The weather was a lot cooler since the rain showers but still hot. It was a lot better to walk around though.
I started my walk on Fifth Avenue and East 19th Street across from the old Arnold Constable Department store building. In comparison to the newer store across from the New York Public Library on Fifth and East 42nd Street, this store was four times the size. I had read online that not only was it the main store at the time but the warehouse, wholesale location and where some of the manufacturing took place. This building that stretches from Fifth Avenue to Broadway and was built in three stages over the late 1800’s.
The former Arnold Constable building at Fifth Avenue and East 19th Street
When I crossed Broadway, it was the ABC store, the former store that dominates between Broadway and 19th Street, the old main shopping district from the pre-Civil War era. After the Civil War, it would move to 23rd Street. This was the former W. & J. Sloane’s Furniture store.
The ABC Store, the former at Broadway and East 19th Street
https://abchome.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqf4tgHjk9A7XL6PkjC2EezcOdKtzgtokdHaDH4uRbv-5pFkEJq
When I walked further down East 19th Street to Park Avenue South, I came across the new location for the Union Square Cafe at 101 East 19th Street a restaurant I had eaten at many times in the old location since the 1990’s.
The new Union Square Cafe at 101 East 19th Street
https://www.unionsquarecafe.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
I stopped and took a look at the menu. It wasn’t the innovative menu that I remember from past trips to the old restaurant. They had the standard dishes that I had seen before. It looked like they were keeping it safe in post-COVID but I did note that the restaurant has gotten very expensive.
The new menu is expensive
https://www.unionsquarecafe.com/menu/dinner-menu/
The one thing I did like about the restaurant is that it had the most amazing outdoor seating. On a nice day this is the perfect restaurant to eat outside. The view of the quiet street and the historical buildings is a nice backdrop to the restaurant.
The outdoor cafe on this bright, sunny day
I had remembered the Union Square Cafe in the old location and the vibe was not the same here. It was like they wanted to cater to a hipper younger crowd instead of the older traditional crowd that they had before as customers. I continued walking down the street.
As you get closer to Irving Place, it starts to get more residential. Some of the homes are really beautiful. The residents have really done a nice job with their flower boxes and outdoor gardens in the neighborhood.
The homes closer to Irving Place on East 19th Street
I reached Irving Place and was confronted with the embellishments I had admired at 81 Irving Place. They were just so unusual and ghoulish. I think this is one of the more unique buildings in the neighborhood.
81 Irving Place in all its glory
https://streeteasy.com/building/81-irving-place-new_york
https://www.apartments.com/81-irving-pl-new-york-ny-unit-8a/5q6z3mp/
81 Irving Place is one of the most beautiful apartment complexes in the city that I have come across. The embellishments along the building are some of most detailed and elegant I have seen. This prewar Co-Op was built in 1929. You have to walk around the building to appreciate it and from the street level you can see all these wonderful details.
The strange creatures
Surround this building
On all sides of it
They stare at you
Welcoming you to the building
Protecting you
Staring at you
Welcoming you home
Happy to see you
The faces great you with strange looks
Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms
I had not noticed all of this when I had walked the borders of the neighborhood. I just saw all these detail from a distance. When you walk along East 19th Street, you see all designs in one long shot. I thought whoever created this building had a sense of humor. When I turned around on this corner, you really can enjoy the beauty of the building.
Another building where I had not noticed the elegance before was 33 East 19th Street. You really have to stare up to see the details of the faces and animals.
33 East 19th Street
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/33-W-19th-St-New-York-NY/4429643/
This former office building was built in 1920 and have been converted to loft apartments.
The faces greeting from the top of the building so you have to look up to look back
The strange stares you get from the building are almost a judgement call
The lions protecting the building from the top
As I walked past Broadway, I passed 889 Broadway, which I had passed many times before. Just like other buildings on this street, there are more details on the street level rather than on the main avenues.
889 Broadway-The former Gorham Manufacturing Company Building
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/889_Broadway
The beauty of 889 Broadway can be seen on all sides but you have to look at every angle of the building to appreciate it. There is all sorts of masonry and iron work around the building that gives it unique look. The building was designed by architect Edward Hale Kendall in the Queen Ann style and finished in 1884. The company moved uptown in 1905 when the retail district started to move further north (Wiki).
The unique carvings and metal work on the building
More faces watching you on the street making judgement calls
119 Fifth Avenue
https://www.propertyshark.com/mason/Property/13021/119-5-Ave-New-York-NY-10003/
https://streeteasy.com/building/119-5th-avenue-new_york
119 Fifth Avenue at the corner of East 19th Street in the Flatiron District neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City was built in 1905-06 and was designed by John H. Duncan in the neo-Renaissance style. It was built to be an annex to the Lord & Taylor department store buildings which took up most of the square block between Broadway and Fifth Avenue and East 19th and 20th Streets, being connected by bridge to two of them. After Lord & Taylor moved uptown in 1914, the building had multiple uses (Wiki).
The lion watching over you
The stonework at the top of building
This section of Fifth Avenue was meant to impress when this was the financial and retail center of Manhattan. The buildings were designed in the Neo-Classical and Beaux Arts style sowing the importance of the companies who created them, who are that point long gone. This area had been the center of business before and after the Civil War.
I then rounded the Fifth Avenue business core and walked down East 18th Street and came across one of the most beautifully designed firehouses I have ever seen in the City, Engine 14. In all my times walking around Manhattan, I don’t think I have ever walked down this street before because I never noticed this.
Engine 14 at East 18th Street was under renovation but it’s 1894 facade peeked out
https://nyfd.com/manhattan_engines/engine_14.html
https://sideways.nyc/discover/4QoKRmk3SMVH6oAvWq68ef/engine-co-14
The building is currently under renovation. Engine Co. 14 was erected in 1895 by architect Napoleon LeBrun, who designed this in the Beaux Arts design. This style is typical of the earliest New York City firehouses (Manhattan Sideways).
This was under the scaffolding
I turned the corner at East 17th Street and most of these buildings have a historic value to them and I was surprised by the collection of retailers on this block. I thought it would be a bit more upscale. I looked up at 16 East 17th Street and thought I heard the roar of a lion.
16 East 17th Street
https://www.corcoran.com/building/flatiron/303
https://www.bondnewyork.com/union-square/coop/16-east-17th-street-8-floor/1498324
The former office building was designed by William Dilthey and built in 1898. It had originally had been a button factory. It was converted to a Coop in 1979 (Corcoran.com/Bondnewyork.com).
The lions protect you as you enter the building.
When I was walking back down East 17th Street I had not noticed this beautiful carving on 874 Broadway. This is on the corner of the McIntrye Building.
874 Broadway-The former McIntyre Building
https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2010/07/1892-mcintyre-building-finials-snakes.html
https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/flatiron-union-square/the-macintyre-874-broadway/6892
https://streeteasy.com/building/874-broadway-new_york
The McIntyre Building was the work of Ewen McIntrye, a pharmacist whose building had grown and had made him wealthy. He demolished the store he had on this spot and built this office building. The structure was designed by architect Robert Henry Robertson in a mixture of designs of the time. You can see Gothic Revival and Renaissance Revival and Victorian Eclectic in the design especially at the top of the building (DaytoninManhattan.com).
When I got to East 17th Street, I really got an excellent view of the northern part of Union Square Park. This is where you can see the real changes of the park. It is so lively and residents and business people use it as a place to unwind and relax.
The northern section of Union Square Park
Facing the northern section Union Square Park is 33 East 17th Street. I have always admired this building for its embellishments and the elegance of the design.
33 East 17th Street-The Century Building
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_Building_(Union_Square,_Manhattan)
https://www.facebook.com/BNUnionSqNYC/
The now Barnes and Nobel Publishing was once known as the Century Building, due to Century Publishing Company making this their headquarters from 1881 to 1915. It is also known as the Drapery Building. The building was designed by architect William Schickel and was completed in 1881 as a real estate project by the department store company Arnold Constable & Company. Left empty through the 1970’s, it was renovated by Barnes and Nobel as their headquarters in 1995 (Wiki).
The doorway entrance to the store at 33 East 17th Street
This fascinating face is on the left side of the entrance to 33 East 17th Street
The look from this face shows the determination of a serious book buyer
As I passed Union Square Park, I passed the old Tammany Hall Building at 100 East 17th Street. The balance of power in New York City has changed since and it now the home of Petco Pet Products.
The Tammany Hall building 100 East 17th Street is now a Petco
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/44_Union_Square
The building was designed by the architectural firm of Thompson, Holmes & Converse and Charles B. Meyers for the Tammany Society political organization, known as Tammany Hall. It was designed in the neo-Georgian style and built in 1929. It was the organization oldest surviving headquarters building. After the loss of the organization’s political power in the early 1930’s, it was sold to the International Ladies Garment Workers Union and in present times has been used as a theater and performance space. It is now occupied by Petco (Wiki).
The symbols of Tammany Hall at the East 17th Street entrance
As I passed the commercial buildings of the neighborhood to the more residential buildings of Irving Place and passed the former carriage house at 121 East 17th Street.
The old carriage house at 121 East 17th Street-Martinys
https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2015/10/no-121-east-17th-street.html
https://ny.eater.com/2022/4/19/23031877/martinys-japanese-cocktail-bar-opening-nyc-gramercy
Review on TripAdvisor:
This carriage house is a holdover from when Union Square was a fashionable neighborhood before the Civil War. After the war was over, the commercial neighborhood of Manhattan moved from Canal Street to between 14th to 23rd Street. This small carriage house survived all the decades of change to the neighborhood (DaytoninManhattan.com). I thought this a gracious building that added to the historical and Old New York look of the Gramercy Park neighborhood.
At the very edge of the neighborhood in Irving Place is the Washington Irving House that wasn’t his house.
The Washington Irving House that Washington Irving never lived in at 122 East 17th Street on the corner of East 17th Street and Irving Place
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-irving-house-new-york-new-york
The “Irving House” was built by Peter Voorhis between 1843 and 1844, along with the adjacent two houses at 45 and 47 Irving Place. The original tenants of 49 Irving Place (at that time referred to as 122 East 17th Street) were Charles Jackson Martin, an insurance executive, and his wife, who would reside there from 1844 until 1852. Henry and Ann E. Coggill would live in it in 1853, and in 1854 it would become the home of banker Thomas Phelps and his wife Elizabeth, who would remain until 1863 (Atlasobsucra.com).
The first mention in print of Irving having lived in the house came in the Sunday Magazine Supplement of the New York Times on April 4, 1897. The article is a human interest story about Elsie de Wolfe and the means and methods she used to decorate “Irving’s house.” In 1905, de Wolfe would become known as the first professional interior decorator and it appears this article is an early attempt at publicity for her. As for the information about Irving, the article takes enormous liberties (actually, it flat-out makes things up), claiming that Irving had conceived of the house himself and was very particular about the architecture and design (Atlasobsucra.com).
Looking up Broadway to the old shopping district from East 17th Street
When I reached the border of the neighborhood at Irving Place, you could see the tradition of the old commercial and residential districts of the neighborhood. These have become blurred over time as restaurants, bars and boutiques have moved into former residential buildings.
On the way back to Union Square Park, I walked through the parks to admire all the flowers and gardens that were in full bloom and stopped to sit on a bench in the shade.
The view of Union Square Park at East 17th Street on the walk back to Fifth Avenue
In the northern part of the park is the impressive statue of Abraham Lincoln. The one thing that I like about New Yorkers as opposed to other cities is that they look at statuary as a debate but not so quick to knock it down like in other cities. Either that or no one really noticed it at the time of the riots. These valuable art works are meant to be debated and discussed not torn down or hidden because someone does not agree with them.
Located at the northern end of the Union Square is the prominent statue of President Lincoln. This statue stands and overlooks the lawn of the park.
Abraham Lincoln
https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/abraham-lincoln/
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/union-square-park/monuments/913
This impressive statue of Abraham Lincoln was designed by sculptor Henry Kirke Brown and was dedicated in 1870. In his statue of Lincoln, cast in 1868, and dedicated September 16, 1870, he combines a classically styled pose with a perceptive naturalism, uniting realistic detail with an idealistic stance (NYCParks.org).
Artist Henry Kirke Brown
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Kirke_Brown
Artist Henry Kirke Brown was an American born artist who had studied with artists in Italy for his training. He is best known for his figurative historical statues. He also designed the statue of George Washington in Union Square.
I started my walk down East 16th Street at the Levi Parsons Morton plaque at the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 16th Street.
The Levi Parsons Morton historic plaque
The plaque of the former Vice-President’s home on Fifth Avenue.
Vice-President and former New York Governor Levi Parsons Morton
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_P._Morton
On the building is also the B. Shackman & Company sign for a now long gone Fifth Avenue toy business.
The B. Shackman & Company sign
https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/tag/b-shackman-co/
The B. Shackman & Company sign was for the former B. Shackman & Company novelty and toy store that was located here until the 1970’s. The store once sold all sorts of novelties and gifts (Ephemeral New York.com/Consumer Grouch).
31 Union Square West
https://www.triumphproperty.com/Home/About
https://streeteasy.com/building/bank-of-the-metropolis
31 Union Square West built in 1902-03 as the Bank of the Metropolis was designed by architect Bruce Price and designated a landmark in 1988. This early skyscraper shows the influence of the American Renaissance sensibility celebrated at the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 (Streeteasy.com).
You have to look at the very corners of the top of this building to appreciate the roar of these lions
Just like East 17th Street, East 16th Street is filled with more interesting historical buildings.
9 East 16th Street
https://streeteasy.com/building/9-east-16-street-new_york
https://www.compass.com/building/9-11-east-16th-manhattan-ny/281895198718436197/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9%E2%80%9311_East_16th_Street
The building was designed by architect Louis Korn for Martin Johnson and built between 1895 and 1896 (Wiki).
The corniches have such a fanciful design to them
As I walked down the street I noticed not just architecturally beautiful buildings but some very talented street artists left their mark in the neighborhood. Being so close to the Museum of Sex, I thought some were quite unique.
A fried egg
I won’t ask!
Love symbols
More love symbols
I love looking down the street with its small individually owned shops and restaurants give me faith that New York City is coming back strong after COVID. It is nice to see the City so alive.
This block leads into the heart of Union Square Park and to where the Farmers Market was going strong.
The beauty of the park by East 16th Street in the middle of the afternoon
I walked down East 15th Street and relaxed in the park for a while as it got hotter out. I walked along the flower beds and paths and admired the hard work it takes to maintain this park.
How colorful the park is at East 15th Street
I walked down East 15th Street and admired one the old bank buildings that was going through a renovation.
101 East 15th Street-The Union Square Savings Bank Building/Daryl Roth Theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daryl_Roth_Theatre
The bank itself was founded in 1848 and moved to this location in 1895. This building was designed by architect Henry Bacon in the neo classical design in 1905 and the building was finished in 1906. The bank closed in 1992 (Wiki).
The beauty in the side of the building facing East 15th Street
I find it interesting to look at these old buildings with names of companies long gone and ask myself, ‘What happened to them?’ and ‘What happened to them?’ These buildings were designed and built for companies that were once at the pinnacle of their success. Now they are being used for hotels and retail stores proving New York’s resilience to change and to time.
The last building that impressed me the most in the neighborhood was the apartment building at 105 East 15th Street with its garish details and graceful windows.
105 East 15th street-The Swannanoa
https://streeteasy.com/building/105-east-15-street-new_york
https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/gramercy-park/the-swannanoa-105-east-15th-street/737
The Swannanoa is a 10-story Neo-Renaissance apartment building designed by architect Gilbert Schellinger, who was a renowned and prolific designer of residential buildings back in the late 1800’s and 1900’s. Constructed in 1898, this building is easily recognized by its bay windowed facade, elegant marble lobby and hallways, which have all been beautifully restored (Streeteasy.com).
In all the walks of this neighborhood that I have made walking back from NYU in the evening from class and I walked around and through Union Square Park and I had not noticed the sculpture on the edge of the park.
New York Legend-the front of the sculpture
New York Legend-the back of the sculpture
This unique and very creative sculpture was designed by artist Alexander Klingspor
This fascinating sculpture shows the urban legend of alligators lining in New York City sewers. With all the pollution in the water around Manhattan and the rest of the City, there is No Way this would happen. I’m surprised they can still live in Florida.
Artist Alexander Klingspor
Artist Alexander Klingspor is Swedish born artist who works both in the United States and Sweden. He apprenticed under American artist Mark English. He is known for his paintings and sculptures (Wiki).
I then walked through the park for the last time that afternoon as it really started to get hot and watched the people sunning themselves, reading books or just conversing. Again it shows what time and a little effort being made can change things in Manhattan. I think the artists that dominated this area when it was going downhill would be shocked if they got out of a time machine to see how the area has changed.
Union Square Park in the late afternoon.
The Union Square Art and Farmers Market
Just remembering coming here for a hot dog with my father in 1982 and eating next to a transvestite I realized how times have changed. I think about all this when I am looking at young couples strolling around the Farmers Market with expensive baby carriages, looking at $5.00 for one cookie and $15.00 for a Cinnamon Banana Bread. I think it is no longer 1982 but 2024 post COVID and how far we have come. Union Square Park just shows how Manhattan just reinventing itself and changes with the time.
That’s New York City!
The other blogs on the Union Square neighborhood:
Day Three Hundred and Thirteen: Walking the Borders of Union Square:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/48888
Day Three Hundred and Seventeen: Walking the Avenues of Union Square:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/50233
Day Three Hundred and Eighteen: Walking the Streets of Union Square:
I have been coming to Coney Island since 1970 and I have to say that it is still has a grittiness to it even while other parts of Brooklyn have been under hyper gentrification. There may be lots of building going on around the amusement area but still there is a feeling of edginess to it around each corner and as you leave Surf Avenue to walk the side streets.
Arriving in Coney Island in the morning for the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest
I had to leave the house early to take the bus and then the subway to Coney Island. The internet said that the Women’s Contest started at 10:30am and I wanted to get in the viewing area before that. Thank God, the City was quiet and both the bus and subway were right there when I needed them. Talk about timing.
I lucked out for the hot dog eating contest. I thought it was going to be cloudy all day and it ended up being a very sunny and pleasant morning when I got there. The crowds had not been that big when I arrived so I got a good spot near the stage that was perfect for taking pictures. The only problem was the women’s contest did not start until 11:00am. The entertainment was very good and kept the crowd engaged.
The band kept everyone pumped before the contest began:
I got close to the stage and being tall I was still able to get great pictures and view the contest up close. Trust me when I say that people take this contest very seriously and there is a lot of pomp and circumstance to all of this. Last year’s female winner, Miki Sudo, the woman from Japan and the 2021 winner all looked very determined to win this year. These woman had looks on their faces (and I mean all of them as I was close enough to all of them when they announced their names) that they were there to win!
Nathan’s was the place to be on the 4th of July
The MC for Nathan’s, George Shea, has been doing this for a long time and I could tell took this contest just as seriously as the contestants. He was just as engaged with the crowd as he was with the contestants and made sure between the entertainers as well as the contestants had a good time.
The MC for the afternoon George Shea
The MC had started out by saying that Joey Chestnut would not be coming this year because of endorsement he made with an all natural vegetarian hot dog and he did not want a conflict. I read later that you as a contestant must pledge their support to Nathan’s Hot Dogs, which I believe is true. It also opened the contest to a new winner which made the Men’s Division so much more exciting.
After the speeches, announcements and entertainment were over, it was time to eat and they started the Women’s Division first. Most of these women were pretty thin and well-built in their category and most were competitive eaters. Some had won numerous contests that I could never win let alone contemplate ever participating in. What it could do to your health would worry me but that did not take the fun out of the contest.
We started the contest with the National Anthem and these two annoying hot dog mascots who were always in the way of our shots.
Then the Bugaboos came out to perform and work he crowds before the women made their entrance
Video on their performance:
Then the women came out and their names were announced like prize fighters coming into battle. Some of these women were serious eating champions of things like Mac and cheese and strawberry shortcake. I was impressed as I could never do that.
The women’s Division before the start of the contest
There was a lot of anticipation between the returning champion, Miki Sudo, the Japanese competitor and the 2021 champion. This was serious competition. The top three competitors were going to go at it.
Then they were off when the count down hit one
Video on the start of the competition:
And they ate
And they ate
And they ate
The Ladies finishing up the competition
Reining Champion, Miki Sudo, ate a record 51 hot dogs to keep the Women’s Division title
Winner Miki Sudo giving the crowd a welcoming speech on their support
The women showing great sportsmanship at the end of the contest holding their trophies and the pink belts
Then it was time for the Lemonade Chugging Contest. There was one guy who was the raining champion and he was about 400 pounds. I do not know how anyone could beat him.
The men and women of the Lemonade Chugging contest
Video on the Contest:
Then they were off and running. After it was over one poor guy got so sick they had to delay the men’s competition just to clean up. So they brought back the entertainment and we were delayed by twenty minutes. Once they were cleaned up and reset, they brought out the Men’s competitors like the ladies. Who won what eating contests in the past and the ranks they fell in the world competitions were announced as they entered the stage area.
I have never heard of most of these competitions but these guys won dumpling, mac and cheese, hot peppers and chicken wings like pros. They were also announced like prize fighters and again almost all these guys were in excellent shape.
The Men’s Division getting started
Then the countdown
Then they were off and devouring
And they ate
And they ate
The video of the finish of the contest:
It was almost a photo finish how it went back and forth in this contest but only one winner prevailed and that was Patrick Bertoletti with 58 hot dogs. The other guys put up the battle but he just steamrolled ahead of the competition.
The winner Patrick Bertoletti holding the flag
The proud winner after the interview holding the ‘Mustard Belt’
After the competition was over, Nathan’s was mobbed with people ready to eat their own hot dogs and I did not feel like dealing with that crowd, so I waited until the crowds died down. I went to walk around the amusement park area and see what was going on there. The place was mobbed with people after the contest and people still arriving to Coney Island by subway.
The crowds on the Midway by Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park
People still walked around with their foam Nathan’s hats on around Coney Island
I waited on lunch and took a tour around the amusement area which was mobbed after the contest. Deno’s had lines I had not seen before and families waited patiently to get on the Wonder Wheel and into the Haunted Mansion.
This was just a small glimpse of the growing lines at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Amusement Park at 3059 West 12th Street
https://www.denoswonderwheel.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
What amazed me was the amount of tourists versus the locals that I saw and heard in the crowds. It is nice to see the tourists rediscover Coney Island again. Even walking along the Midway with the new Luna Park in the distance, it still has that rough feel about it. I sometimes wish they would do more with Surf Avenue as it really does look unattractive. Nothing like the pictures from 1910 when the amusement area was at its peak in Coney Island innovation.
I then made my way to Luna Park, which was a little quieter than Deno’s. I keep thinking is because Deno’s has more adult rides where Luna Park is more geared to kids and families. The space they have in both parks limits both the types of rides they offer and how far they can expand.
We discovered that when my graduate school paper in Customer Relations from NYU on Luna Park discussed these challenges and those of the ‘Harvest Fest’ Halloween event and the first ‘Frost Fest’ during Christmas time. Our group visited the park to experience what Luna Park had to offer:
The Paper:
The PowerPoint on the project:
Walking around Luna Park the rides were not full in the early afternoon
Walking around Luna Park in the early afternoon
A view of both Deno’s and Luna Park from the Midway at Luna Park
My review on TripAdvisor:
After taking a walk through both parks and dodging the crowds, I took a walk on the Boardwalk and headed to the aquarium before lunch. I love the characters on the Boardwalk. People were doing everything from barbecuing and selling food to singing, playing disco and salsa music and dancing to showing off their giant snakes (ugh). Everyone was having such a good time on the 4th of July and it showed.
There is nothing like the Coney Island boardwalk
The beach was busy but not as packed as I thought it would be on the 4th of July. I remember seeing pictures of the beach in the 40’s after WWII and there was no place to move. There are some old movies of what Coney Island was like in the 1940’s and 50’s where you could not move on the beach. Even at the turn of the last century with work rules changing, ocean bathing became a new nation phenomenon even in 1904 (how bathing suits have changed!):
Dancing the “Cake Walk” on the beaches of Coney Island
The sign welcoming you to Coney Island Beach
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/coney-island-beach-and-boardwalk
My review on TripAdvisor:
Not as busy as I would have thought but the day had not started yet
I headed over to the New York Aquarium for the afternoon. I wanted to see the seal show and walk around the shark tanks again. The aquarium like the rest of the boardwalk was really busy but this was filled with families escaping the heat of the beach and the boardwalk with airconditioned buildings and nautical displays.
The New York Aquarium at 602 Surf Avenue has gotten much better since Hurricane Sandy. The aquarium has upgraded itself since the flood
My review on TripAdvisor:
The New York Aquarium is one of the reasons why I joined the Wildlife Conservatory again. I love the seal shows and walking around the ‘Spineless’ exhibition and watching the jellyfish move around. This aquarium is so different in feel than the Jenkinson Aquarium on my recent visit to Point Pleasant. Just a different set up and way to approach the animals. The first part of the aquarium you enter is the coral reef displays.
The coral reef exhibition at the aquarium shows what a healthy reef should look like in the ocean
The fish passing by in the reef
I got there as the seal show was starting. The seals in the show were both born at the aquarium so they only know life in captivity. Sometimes I think they do have a bit of a New York attitude.
The Seal Show at the New York Aquarium
The show was mobbed with people watching the seals do all sorts of tricks but I could see very disciplined animals just having fun with the crowd. It also gives them a bigger tank to move around in.
The seals that live at the aquarium were born here and are native New Yorkers
The seal and his trainer welcoming the crowd
The seals perform like pros and react beautifully with their human trainers. There seems to be a real bond here
This is one of the best parts of the aquarium to experience on a nice day. The breezes are fantastic, the seals are so talented and the staff take such good care of not just mammals but the performance area, making it comfortable for everyone. You have to see the show at least once.
Then it was time to visit the Shark Tank exhibition which is the newest part of the aquarium and the most impressive display of wildlife.
The Shark exhibition
I love walking through the Shark halls as you feel like you are in an underwater adventure. The first time I had experienced this was when I was on Sentosa Island in Singapore at their aquarium and that feeling of exploring the deep by walking through it. You can see the sharks swimming on top of you. I am glad they created the same sort of tanks that you can walk through to experience the deep from the bottom looking up.
Experiencing life under water
The thrill of seeing a shark on top of you at a safe distance is a great experience. There is underwater magic going on here.
The underwater magic of the sea
When I arrived at the main tank, that is when I could see the sharks and stingrays up close along with all the colorful fish.
Seeing one of the baby sharks up close
The sharks interacting with the other fish in the tank
The school of sharks in front of us
I walked around the aquarium looking at the penguins home, the coral reef tanks and the ‘Spineless’ tanks with all the unusual jellyfish swimming around.
The jellyfish are so elegant swimming around
They are the most beautiful creature up close but don’t get near those tentacles in real life.
The penguins were milling around themselves in their home as they waited for their feeding. They standed direct and the group of them looked like they knew what time it was for them.
The Penguin home at the aquarium
What I thought was interesting and caught my attention was the nautical artwork the was displayed all over the grounds. The works created by ‘Washed Ashore’, were made of plastic products found in the ocean. It really does show the consciousness we should show to our bodies of water and what we throw into them.
The Angus the Longhorn Fish sculpture sign
The Angus the Longhorn Fish sculpture
Choppers the Tiger Shark sign
The Choppers the Tiger Shark sculpture
The Nora the Salmon sculpture sign
The Nora the Salmon sculpture
These were some of the many sculptures that were dotted around the aquarium. I thought they brought light to how much plastic there is currently in the ocean. I took one tour around the aquarium and then it was back to Nathan’s for a late lunch. I thought at this point the lines would be slowing down. It was still busy even by 3:00pm.
Surf Avenue in the mid afternoon and things are changing fast here
The lines never stopped at Nathan’s at Surf Avenue. The contest ended at 1:00pm but lines on both sides of the restaurant were out the door and when I got in line there were literally thirty people behind me. They were fully staffed and that line went quickly. I was ordered and eating my lunch within ten minutes. The staff worked really hard that day and they got all the customers through the lines very quickly.
The lines at Nathan’s at 1310 Surf Avenue in Coney Island on the 4th of July seemed endless
https://nathansfranks.sfdbrands.com/en-us/about/
My TripAdvisor review:
I love going to Nathan’s. I have been eating here since my first trip here with my cousins in 1974. I still remember what I ordered then, a slice of pizza and a Coke. Since then it has been a hot dog, a medium fries and a Coke.
My Nathan’s meal when visiting Coney Island
I love the crispness of the garlicky hot dog and the crispness of the fries. The fries here are legendary and I remember them winning awards in the 1970’s.
The best lunch on the 4th of July
No wonder people eat these hot dogs by the dozen
The fries are amazing
Williams Candy next door has been a Coney Island institution for years and their windows are filled with all sorts of candy apples and marshmallow treats on a stick.
The crowds kept coming at Nathan’s
What I like about Williams Candy is the assortment and the smells of cotton candy, popcorn and ice cream when you walk in the door.
William Candy at 1318 Surf Avenue
My TripAdvisor review:
My review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:
https://wordpress.com/stats/post/748/littleshoponmainstreet.wordpress.com
The windows filled with treats at Williams Candy
I was eyeing the candy coated marshmallows but when I realized that the other marshmallows were dipped in the candy coating and then rolled in the sprinkles, I chose the red, white and blue one.
The Marshmallow on a stick at Williams Candy
I can’t tell you how good this is when you bite into it. Between all the sprinkles packed on top and the crunchy candy coating was sugar heaven.
You can’t miss this sugary treat. What a great patriotic dessert!
I now had to work all this off so I went to tour the boardwalk and decided to walk down to Seagate at the end of it. It was an interesting walk. Everything was going on that afternoon. Families were out barbecuing, disco dancing, line dancing and dancing to salsa music. There was a lot of energy on that Boardwalk.
The Boardwalk was jammed that day
With all the talk on the revival of Coney Island, I passed the old parachute jump and it still looks it is going to need a lot of work in the future.
The parachute jump
The funny thing about Coney Island is that it is an island of contrasts. On one hand there is a lot of building going on in the central part of the island with luxury housing being built around the baseball field (where Steeplechase Park once existed) and then you have some of the most dangerous public housing in the City just two blocks west of that. Then at the very end is Seagate, a gated community that seems to keep to itself on the other side of the fence.
I walked to the end of the Boardwalk and back watching families barbecue, dance and having a good time. By the time I got back to the amusement section of the island both the aquarium and the museum were both closed, Nathan’s was still packed and this section of the Boardwalk got busier as people were leaving the beach and wanting to get dinner.
All that walking was making me hungry again as it was getting closer to dinner time. Both Gargiulo’s Italian Restaurant and Totonno’s Pizzeria were both closed for the day and the rest of the restaurants on the Boardwalk were either packed or everything was deep fried and I did not want that after my meal at Nathan’s for lunch so I decided to head back to Manhattan.
I did not know if there would be fireworks on the beach that evening but with the clouds rolling in and the threat of rain, I did not want to get caught in it. The subways were mobbed and the bulk of the people were illegally walking through the emergency doors. I swear nothing changes. No one was watching what people were doing.
When I got back to Manhattan, I did not want to run around looking for a place for a quick dinner. I remembered that there were a few Chinese restaurants by the Port Authority and I stopped at Awesum Dim Sum at 612 Eighth Avenue for quick dinner before I left for home. The restaurant was surprisingly busy for food you don’t equate with the 4th of July.
Awesum Dim Sum at 612 Eighth Avenue
My review on TripAdvisor:
I love the selection of Dim Sum at the restaurant and ordered a small dinner for myself before I left the City. I had to have the Bacon Wrapped Fried Shrimp, which I was craving, the Scallion Pancakes and the Cream filled buns for dessert. Everything was cooked to order, fresh and was excellent (see TripAdvisor review).
Dinner that night at Awesum Dim Sum, Bacon Wrapped Fried Shrimp, Scallion Pancakes and the Cream Filled Buns
It was a nice change from barbecue foods and since I already had a hot dog for lunch, I thought this would make a great dinner. It was just enough and made the perfect meal. Then I was on my way home. Their Fried Shrimp with Bacon is excellent. The shrimp mixture has a nice sweetness to with the contrasts of the smokiness of the bacon.
The Fried Shrimp with Bacon
The Scallion Pancakes were crisp and had a nice taste especially with the dipping sauce.
The Scallion Pancakes
The Cream Buns were the perfect way to end the meal. They were crisp and sweet on the outside because of the rice dough and rich and creamy on the inside. I thought it was a nice change and a great way to end the day.
The Cream Filled Buns
It really was a nice 4th of July and I really enjoyed my day in Coney Island. I have to admit that the neighborhood is rough when you leave the beach area but like the rest of the City, you just need to watch were you walk and stick to the Boardwalk area, you should be fine. The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is something everyone should experience once.
Happy 4th of July!
Places to Visit in Coney Island:
Coney Island Boardwalk
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/coney-island-beach-and-boardwalk
My review on TripAdvisor:
New York Aquarium
602 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11224
(718) 265-3474
Open: Sunday & Saturday 10:00am-5:30pm/Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm
Fee: Adults $25.00/Children $20.00/Seniors $27.00 (see their website for more details on pricing and times)
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/3619
The Coney Island Museum
1208 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11224
(718) 372-5159
Open:
Summer: (June-Labor Day Weekend) Monday- Saturday 12:00pm-6:00pm/ Sunday 2:00pm-6:00pm
Fall/Winter/Spring: (September-May) Monday-Saturday 12:00pm-6:00pm/Sunday 2:00pm-6:00pm
Admission: $5.00 Adults/Members Free/Residents, Seniors & Children under 12 $3.00
https://www.coneyisland.com/event/coney-island-museum
TripAdvisor Review:
My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/1978
Luna Park
1000 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11224
(718) 373-5862
Open: Sunday 11:00am-11:00pm/Monday 11:00am-10:00pm/Tuesday 10:30am-11:00pm/Wednesday 11:00am-12:00am/Thursday 10:00am-12:00am/Friday 11:00am-12:00am/Saturday 11:00am-12:00am (seasonal)
Check website for prices
My review on TripAdvisor:
Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park
3059 West 12th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11224
(718) 372-2592
https://www.denoswonderwheel.com/
Open: Sunday 12:00pm-11:00pm/Monday-Wednesday 12:00am-10:00pm/Thursday 12:00pm-11:00pm (Seasonal)
Check website for prices
My review on TripAdvisor:
Places to Eat:
Nathan’s Coney Island
1310 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11224
https://nathansfranks.sfdbrands.com/en-us/about/
Open: Sunday-Thursday 10:00am-11:00pm/Friday and Saturday 10:00am-12:00am
My TripAdvisor review:
Williams Candy
1318 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11224
(718) 372-0302
Open: Sunday-Thursday 10:00am-11:00pm/Friday and Saturday 10:00am-12:00am
https://www.facebook.com/peteclams/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/littleshoponmainstreet.wordpress.com/748
Awesum Dim Sum
612 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018
(212) 520-8099
Open: Sunday 9:30am-8:30pm/Monday-Friday 8:00am-8:30pm/Saturday 9:30am-8:30pm
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:
https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/1898
Returned on July 4th, 2025:
I had to plan my trip back to Coney Island like D-Day to see the contest again. I had been on the Island recently for the Mermaid Parade and could not believe how fast the 4th of July weekend arrived.
I was so tired from being in the City the day before trying to finish walking Chelsea, going to one of my fellow volunteers Memorial Services at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen and then a Jazz Night at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. That on top of posting grades for class, I was pooped from all the running around.
I got off to a late start that morning still tired from running around Brooklyn the night before. By the time I caught the bus at 8:00am and got into the City just before 9:00am, I knew I was behind schedule.
I had planned on having breakfast on 23rd Street at a place I liked but there was not enough time. So I stopped at Villa Pizza inside the Port Authority for a breakfast Stromboli.
Villa Pizza inside the Port Authority
The assortment of Breakfast Stromboli
The breakfast items at a pizzeria
For a chain pizzeria inside a bus terminal, breakfast here was not bad. I had always seen the Breakfast Strombolis in the case and wondered what they tasted like.
My breakfast the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Stromboli with a freshly squeezed orange juice
The Bacon, Egg and Cheese Stromboli
The Breakfast Stromboli
The selection of both breakfast and lunch dishes at Villa Pizza inside
After breakfast was finished I took the Q back down to Coney Island. The subway was packed with people heading to the shore. People got off at all the beach spots and when I got into Stilwell Avenue, Nathan’s was already packed with people trying to get to the stage area. I ended up standing outside the press stage with an ‘Exit’ sign blocking my views of the screen (that’s why there is an exit sign in all of my pictures and videos).
Arriving at Nathan’s as the band was performing
Nathan’s has been in this spot since the 1920’s
The band that had entertained last year
The brass band playing before the contest
The band really got the audience fired up and with some local dance groups performing and then the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ performed, it was time for the contest to begin.
First was the Ladies competition
Miki Suto was defending her crown
She won her record 11th belt
After a series of entertainment, the Men’s Eating Contest started. The crowd went wild when they announced Joey Chestnut’s name. The place went wild.
The crowd was ten times what it was when I got there
The excitement built before the contest
The crowd was all for Joey Chestnut
Then the man of the hour got on stage
The excitement building before the contest
The crowd going crazy during the contest
The crowd was going crazy during the competition
The contest that I could from behind the bleachers
The man of the hour Joey Chestnut won the contest with 70.5 hot dogs. Last year’s winner came in second with 53. Both the Men’s and Women’s winners did not come close to their records. It was not like last year but it still was an exciting contest.
The celebration after the contest was over for the 4th of July
After the contest was over and the winners took their pictures, I wondered around Coney Island and explored the Boardwalk and amusement areas.
There is such an energy in Coney Island on the 4th of July
Walking through Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park
Walking through Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park
The famous Wonder Wheel
The Spook A Rama, my first ride on Coney Island as a kid
The Boardwalk on the 4th of July afternoon
Looking down the Boardwalk from the Aquarium
The beach by the Aquarium
I decided to go to the NY Aquarium before lunch. Every restaurant was a line so I figured to come here first.
I made I in time to see the Sea Lion Show
The Sea Lion Show
The second group of sea lions
The end of the sea lion show
After the Sea Lion Show, I toured the Shark Tanks and walked around the exhibition.
The Shark exhibition
The Shark exhibition
The underwater tanks
After a nice walk around the Aquarium, I was getting hungry and decided on a late lunch at Nathan’s. I figured that the lines would be down at this point and when I got there, it was only a ten minute wait to order.
Arriving back at Nathan’s Famous for lunch
My favorite lunch at Nathan’s, a plain hot dog, medium fries and a Coke
The taste has not changed in fifty years
Yum!
Lunch at Nathan’s is always an experience. You have to share the tables outside when it is busy and you never know who you will be sitting next to for lunch. Some woman parked herself at the table and asked if she could eat with me. I guess I looked safe.
After lunch, I took one last tour around the Boardwalk and Surf Avenue and realized I want to put my feet in the water.
Off went the shoes as I walked along the beach
Even though the beach was crowded with families, it was not the crowds that I saw in old pictures when thousands of people would pack the shore on a summer weekend or holiday. Still to walk these iconic beaches on the 4th of July is quite the experience.
The Coney Island beach on July 4th
I made my way back to the subway and walked along Surf Avenue. It is amazing to see the changes to this area in the last 100 years.
Passing Nathan’s again across from the subway
The sign for the hot dog eating contest at Nathan’s
The Mermaid Parade sign from two weeks ago
It really is a fun experience and you have to add the Hot Dog Eating contest to the bucket of things to experience when you are in New York City.
Happy 4th of July, 2025!
I finally got into Union Square and at a nice time of the year. The park was packed with people sunning themselves, reading and enjoying the sunshine. The Farmers Market was in full swing and offered so many wonderful things for sale.
What a beautiful day to start the walk in Union Square Park
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/union-square-park
My review on TripAdvisor:
I was able to tour the neighborhood twice in the two day period over Father’s Day Weekend once at twilight just as the sun was setting and the lights were coming on at the cafes and restaurants and then the next morning after breakfast on a clear and sunny day. The buildings took on two different personalities at different times of the day.
The first part of the walk was revisiting lower Fifth Avenue from West 20th to West 14th Streets. Again which I had just covered for my blogs on the Lower Flatiron District. Just after the Civil War to WWI, the was the Midtown Manhattan of that era with the banking and shopping districts where you still see these traces in the beauty of the buildings. From Beaux-Arts to Neo-Classical, these former headquarters buildings were meant to impress. I started my tour passing the same Fifth Avenue buildings that share the border with the Lower Flatiron District.
I passed 156 Fifth Avenue as I walked this part of the neighborhood again and admired it for its detailed stonework carving and unusual styled roof. The Presbyterian Building was built in 1893 and was designed by architect James B. Baker and was designed in the French Gothic style. It was to be used by the Presbyterian Church as their base for domestic and foreign missions and used as office space. The Panic of 1893 changed that, and they had to lease the space out (Daytonian in Manhattan).
156 Fifth Avenue
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/156-Fifth-Ave-New-York-NY/14050649/
http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2011/02/presbyterian-building-156-fifth-avenue.html
I then took the long walk down Fifth Avenue and all the architectural treasures it contains. This was once the core of the old ‘Midtown Manhattan’ after the Civil War and the City started its march uptown.
148 Fifth Avenue
https://streeteasy.com/building/148-5-avenue-new_york
https://www.loopnet.com/property/148-5th-ave-new-york-ny-10011/36061-08210041/
This unique office building was built in 1900 as a office building. This building is currently under renovation.
The details on 148 Fifth Avenue
The details of 148 Fifth Avenue
The next interesting building on the walk down Fifth Avenue was 119 Fifth Avenue which had just finished being renovated.
119 Fifth Avenue
https://www.propertyshark.com/mason/Property/13021/119-5-Ave-New-York-NY-10003/
https://streeteasy.com/building/119-5th-avenue-new_york
119 Fifth Avenue at the corner of East 19th Street in the Flatiron District neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City was built in 1905-06 and was designed by John H. Duncan in the neo-Renaissance style. It was built to be an annex to the Lord & Taylor department store buildings which took up most of the square block between Broadway and Fifth Avenue and East 19th and 20th Streets, being connected by bridge to two of them. After Lord & Taylor moved uptown in 1914, the building had multiple uses (Wiki).
The details of 119 Fifth Avenue
The details of 119 Fifth Avenue
One of the most impressive buildings in the neighborhood is the old Arnold Constable Store building that stretches from its Broadway entrance down the entire block on 18th Street to its Fifth Avenue entrance.
115 Fifth Avenue-Arnold Constable Department Store
https://buildingsofnewengland.com/tag/115-fifth-ave-nyc/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Constable_%26_Company
https://www.realtyhop.com/building/115-5th-avenue-new-york-ny-10003
This seven-story department store building was designed by architect Griffith Thomas in 1868 for the prominent dry-goods company of Arnold Constable & Company. ‘The Palace of Trade’ as it became known as, is located stretches between Broadway and Fifth Avenue. The stunning Second Empire building is faced in marble, brick, and cast-iron, features stacked arch orders and a prominent, two-story, pavilioned mansard roof. Arnold Constable & Co. was founded by Aaron Arnold, who opened a small dry goods store in the city in 1825 (Buildings of New England).
As the business prospered he moved into larger quarters numerous times. In 1842, James Constable, an employee, married Arnold’s daughter Henrietta and was subsequently made a partner. From this, the company was renamed Arnold Constable & Co. In its heyday, Arnold Constable & Co. was the largest dealer to the elite in New York City, supplying the latest fashions to a clientele that included the leading families in the city (Buildings of New England).
103 Fifth Avenue
https://streeteasy.com/building/103-5-avenue-new_york
https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2011/07/1896-beaux-arts-pierrepont-building-103.html
The building had an interesting history. The building was designed by architect Louis Korn and was designed in the Beaux-Arts design. It was completed in 1896 and it was named after Edwards Pierrepont, whose mansion had stood on the site before the construction of the building. When it opened the building was popular small publishing and mercantile companies (Dayonianinmanhattan.com).
The 103 Fifth Avenue details
103 Fifth Avenue embellishments
In between the buildings there was plaque to Levi Parsons Morton, the former Governor of New York State and the Vice-President of the United States under President Benjamin Harrison. This is where his home was located.
The plaque of the former Vice-President’s home on Fifth Avenue.
Vice-President and former New York Governor Levi Parsons Morton
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_P._Morton
On the building is also the B. Shackman & Company sign for a now long gone Fifth Avenue toy business.
The B. Shackman & Company sign
https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/tag/b-shackman-co/
The B. Shackman & Company sign was for the former B. Shackman & Company novelty and toy store that was located here until the 1970’s. The store once sold all sorts of novelties and gifts (Ephemeral New York.com/Consumer Grouch).
91 Fifth Avenue
https://www.propertyshark.com/mason/Property/12971/91-5-Ave-New-York-NY-10003/
This beautiful office building was designed by architect Louis Korn for businessmen Henry and Samuel Korn in 1896. The office building currently houses small companies (Wiki).
The details of women looking down at us on the street at 91 Fifth Avenue
The lion details on 91 Fifth Avenue.
The last building on this part of Fifth Avenue was under an extensive renovation and I was not able to get the pictures that I wanted but still you could see the details in the building around the renovations.
Looking up Fifth Avenue from 16th Street
The Kensington Building was designed by architect Samuel Sass in the Beaux-Arts design and completed in 1906. Some of the first tenants of the building was the Milton Bradley company. The building was converted into a residential building in 1996 and were designed by architect Joseph Pell Lombardi (Landmark Branding LLC).
73 Fifth Avenue
https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/flatiron-union-square/the-kensington-73-fifth-avenue/4044
The details on 73 Fifth Avenue
This part of Fifth Avenue has kept its character all these years and now that these buildings are back in vogue because of their history and design detail, they are being refitted for modern times. These were once the headquarters of companies that are now long gone but are housing the new future companies leading us into the 21st Century.
Looking up Fifth Avenue from 15th Street and the core of the Lower Flatiron District.
West 14th Street is a Hodge podge of building types and in various conditions. COVID really hit 14th Street businesses hard and between the pandemic, urban renewal of the neighborhood and changing tastes of building types, there is only a few buildings left from the era when this was a major shopping street at the turn of the last century. This was before everything moved up to the 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue area.
Much of the block between Fifth and Sixth Avenue is in the process of being knocked down, renovated or both. Still there are some architectural gems still left on the street.
On the corner of Fifth Avenue and West 14th Street is 80 Fifth Avenue.
80 Fifth Avenue from the corner view
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/80-Fifth-Ave-New-York-NY/4632221/
80 Fifth Avenue is an elaborately-detailed Renaissance Revival style office building that was constructed by the architecture firm of Buchman and Fox. This building was constructed in 1908 to be used as manufacturing and office space (Kates, Ariel. Off the Grid).
Seeing better detail work on the building from the West 14th Street view.
This beautiful building’s lower and upper levels feature decorative floral and geometric ornamentation, elaborate cornices, and angled bay windows on the third floor. Ornamented pilasters are found at either side of these windows, with slightly more austere middle floors and in its arched windows and elaborate ornamentation at the top story (Kates, Ariel. Off the Grid).
The beautiful detail work on 80 Fifth Avenue.
The building’s history has a long past of companies that have worked in these offices but the most prominent had been the creation of the gay organization, The National Gay Task Force. Among the Task Force’s accomplishments during the time it was located at 80 Fifth Avenue included getting the American Psychiatric Association to end its classification of homosexuality as a mental illness; getting the federal government to end its ban on employing gay or lesbian people in any federal agencies (Kates, Ariel. Off the Grid).
When I turned to the corner and walked down East 14th Street, I know seeing developers attempt to rid Union Square of its once seedy past. As I pass the park itself, I still remember the days when this was a major drug haven, a major methadone clinic was located here and sensible people stayed far away from Union Square Park. It took Danny Meyers and the creation of Union Square Cafe in 1985 at 101 East 19th Street and then the closing of the methadone clinic to change all that. The popularity of the Farmers Market and the renovation of the park in the late 1980’s changed the complexity of the neighborhood.
The original Union Square Cafe at 21 East 16th Street
https://www.unionsquarecafe.com/about/
My review on TripAdvisor:
My father and I on Father’s Day at the original Union Square Cafe for lunch in early 2000’s
There were also a series of buildings around the square that were knocked down and new buildings built in their place most notably the old S. Klein on the Square building replaced by a new office building, a branch of NYU opening on the southern end of the park and the Zeckendorf Towers buildings at One Union Square changed the who complexity of Union Square into a desirable neighborhood. In the 21st Century, it is now becoming a trendy neighborhood catering to the tech industry.
Even more changes are on there way:
https://www.curbed.com/2021/01/union-square-park-partnership-plan.html
As I crossed Fifth Avenue to West 14th Street towards Union Square I remembered that this was the most southern part of the old Ladies Shopping District before the Civil War. It had been the theater district as well with the Academy of Music closer to Irving Street. After the Civil War, the shopping and theater district moved uptown towards 23rd Street, then to 34th Street and then ending at 42nd Street.
Between Fifth Avenue and Broadway along the southern border of Union Square, there is not much left of that shopping district. Many of the older buildings had been knocked down in the early 1900’s for new stores and since then much of the non-landmarked buildings were again knocked down in the early 1980’s to improve the district. S. Klein stood empty from 1975, when it closed for business to 1983 when it finally was knocked down for the Zeckendorf Towers and that changed the district forever (Wiki).
Still when I walked from Fifth Avenue to Union Square there was one building that stood out amongst all the new late 20th buildings on 14th Street and that was 22-26 East 14th Street.
This impressive building at 22-26 East 14th Street built along the former Ladies Shopping Mile was once meant to impress. This was once the home for Baumann Brothers Furniture & Rugs
https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-baumann-bros-bldg-no-22-26-east.html
The building was designed by architects David and Jon Jardine for successful textile merchant James McCreery in 1881. The building was designed in the Neo-Grec and Neo-Classical design and until 1897 was the home for Baumann Brothers Furniture and Carpet store. It then passed to Woolworth’s and the broken up for other retailers. It is now home to Footlocker but you can still see the beauty in this building with its elaborate embellishments (DaytonianinManhattan.com)
You really have to stop and look at its Neo-Classical details to really appreciate this building
The intricate details of the McCreery Building
The floral details in the middle of the building
I got a chance to walk around Union Square once I finished my tours of Fifth Avenue and East 14th Street. It was a beautiful sunny day and people were outside enjoying the sun and shade in the park. The Farmers Market was going on which made it even busier. By the subway station, there were guys hustling to play chess. A typical day in Union Square Park. Thirty years ago just like Bryant Park or Madison Square Park, sensible people stayed away from these squares of green with the garbage and graffiti and drug dealing. How a City transforms itself over a period of time is confounding. From the ashes of COVID, another New York City is rising.
What impresses me the most about the park is that the crazy protestors never knocked our statues down. Inside Union Square are three very prominent and very famous statues of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and General Lafayette.
George Washington
https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/
We are lucky that our statues were not knocked down like other cities in 2020. This impressive statue of General Washington sits at the entrance of Union Square.
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/union-square-park/monuments/1676
This impressive statue of George Washington was designed by sculptor Henry Kirke Brown and was dedicated in 1856. The moment Brown depicts is that of Evacuation Day, November 25, 1783, when Washington reclaimed the city from the British. With outstretched hand, he signals to the troops in a gesture of benediction (NYCParks.org).
Artist Henry Kirke Brown
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Kirke_Brown
Artist Henry Kirke Brown was an American born artist who had studied with artists in Italy for his training. He is best known for his figurative historical statues. He also designed the statue of Abraham Lincoln in Union Square.
On the southern part of Union Square is the Climate Clock atop the NYU Dorms at 60 East 14th Street. The facade of the building makes quite the statement above Union Square if you stop to look at its details.
The new climate clock and NYU dorms replaced the once seedy shopping district the was Union Square at 60 East 14th Street
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_Clock
The view of Union Square through the ages:
The Climate Clock melds art, science, technology, and grassroots organizing to get the world to #Actin Time. The project is centered on a simple tool: a clock that counts down the critical time window to reach zero emissions (our “Deadline”), while tracking our progress on key solution pathways (“Lifelines”) By showing us what we need to do by when, the Clock frames our critical mission — a rapid and just transition to a safe climate future — and puts it at the very forefront of our attention (Climateclock.world.com).
The building that single handedly changed Union Square (outside of Union Square Cafe) was the Zeckendorf Towers. This replaced the long closed S. Klein Department store that had closed in 1975 and lead to the seediness of the area. The store had been boarded up for years and led to the downfall of Union Square in the early 1980’s.
S. Klein Department Store on Union Square East was boarded up for years
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._Klein
When the store was torn down to make way for the Zeckendorf Towers, this completely changed the area. That and the renovation of Union Square in the late 1980’s and the creation of the Union Square Farmers Market made this a desirable area once again.
The Zeckendorf Towers at One Irving Place/One Union Square East
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeckendorf_Towers
The success of the Zeckendorf Towers changed the complexity of the neighborhood for years to come replacing the S. Klein Department store. The residential building was designed by the architectural firm of Davis, Brody & Associates and was name for owner William Zeckendorf. The building was finished in 1987.
Tucked off in the corner of the park is the statue of General Lafayette. Why this important figure of the Revolutionary War is hidden is unfortunate.
The statue of General Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/union-square-park/monuments/884
General Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_du_Motier,_Marquis_de_Lafayette
The larger-than-life-sized figure was sculpted by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, who also designed the Statue of Liberty (1886), another gift from the French government that figures prominently in New York Harbor. The granite pedestal designed by H.W. DeStuckle was donated by French citizens living in New York. (NYCParks.org).
Artist Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Auguste_Bartholdi
Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was a French born artist best known for designing the Statue of Liberty. Bartholdi attended the Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris where he graduated in 1852. He then went on to study architecture at the Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux-Arts (Wiki).
As the sun started to set on this Sunday afternoon, I passed 4 Irving Place which the first couple of floors were under scaffolding. I admired the clocktower on the top of the building, the beautiful embellishments and just the elegance of the building. The building is home to Consolidated Edison (ConEd).
The was designed by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh and architectural firm of Warren and Wetmore in the Neo-Classical design. The first phase of the building was started in 1911 and both phases were finished by 1929. The original section of the building is in the picture with the wings of the building to both sides (Wiki).
I passed 4 Irving Place, the Con Ed Building, just as twilight hit the building and you could see the beauty in its shadows.
Its clock told the time of the early evening.
The next morning when I walked past it again, you could see the true beauty of its design.
I also noticed that the roof top held a more intricate design than I noticed the night before. Look up at its intricate details to admire its beauty. This is part of the originally designed building.
Once I turned onto Irving Place, the old core of its industrial past gave way to the bohemian village it would become and stay in the future. This was once ‘THE’ neighborhood to live in and has stayed that way since even through the rough times of Union Square.
The most impressive object you will see in the neighborhood is this bust of Washington Irving that sits outside the Washing Irving Campus on Irving Place.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Irving_Campus
This bust of Washington Irving was created by artist Friedrich Beer
Artist Friedrich Beer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Beer
https://www.artprice.com/artist/112959/friedrich-beer
Artist Friedrich Beer was a German born artist known for his works on busts of famous individuals.
The neighborhood goes from commercial to more residential as you get further up Irving Place and closer to Gramercy Park. The borders of Union Square overlap with Gramercy Park and the Flatiron District between East 18th and East 20th streets so I revisited buildings that J had seen before. If people went in a Time Machine to Manhattan from 100 years ago they would still see the same buildings but with totally different uses.
The Washington Irving house at 122 East 17th Street and Irving Place (Washington Irving never lived here)
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-irving-house-new-york-new-york
The “Irving House” was built by Peter Voorhis between 1843 and 1844, along with the adjacent two houses at 45 and 47 Irving Place. The original tenants of 49 Irving Place (at that time referred to as 122 East 17th Street) were Charles Jackson Martin, an insurance executive, and his wife, who would reside there from 1844 until 1852. Henry and Ann E. Coggill would live in it in 1853, and in 1854 it would become the home of banker Thomas Phelps and his wife Elizabeth, who would remain until 1863 (Atlasobsucra.com).
The front of the house facing Irving Place
The first mention in print of Irving having lived in the house came in the Sunday Magazine Supplement of the New York Times on April 4, 1897. The article is a human interest story about Elsie de Wolfe and the means and methods she used to decorate “Irving’s house.” In 1905, de Wolfe would become known as the first professional interior decorator and it appears this article is an early attempt at publicity for her. As for the information about Irving, the article takes enormous liberties (actually, it flat-out makes things up), claiming that Irving had conceived of the house himself and was very particular about the architecture and design (Atlasobsucra.com).
The entrance to the house at 122 East 17th street
The plaque on the house dedicated to the writer created by artist Alexander Finta
In 1930, a restaurant called the Washington Irving Tea Room was operating in the basement of the building and in 1934 a plaque sculpted by Rodin-student Alexander Finta was put up on the north facade that would cement the story in the public consciousness. Today, the surrounding area remains covered in references to Irving, from the large art installations in the nearby W Hotel to the Headless Horseman pub on 15th Street(Atlasobsucra.com).
Artist Alexander Finta
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Finta
https://www.askart.com/artist/Alexander_Finta/108330/Alexander_Finta.aspx
Artist Alexander Finta was a Hungarian born artist who moved to the United States in 1923. He had studied mechanical engineering in his own country and had studied with Auguste Rodin. His is known for his elaborate busts. He spent the remainder of his career at 20th Century Fox Studios (Wiki)
All along the Irving Place corridor, the street is lined with interesting and historical buildings many of them turned into restaurants or inns. There are many historic plaques in this neighborhood and some creative architecture. The first building that caught my eye was 53 Irving Place, which is the home of Pierre Loti Wine Bar.
Review on TripAdvisor:
The home of Pierre Lotte Mediterranean Restaurant at 53-55 Irving Place was the home of O Henry
When I looked at the side of the building near the entrance, I was this historic plaque that said that this was the home of author William Sidney Porter (O. Henry). The author lived here from 1903-1907 and wrote the “Gift of the Magi” while living here and eating at Pete’s Tavern across the street (Wiki).
The historic plaque for author O Henry at 53-55 Irving Place
Author William Henry Porter
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._Henry
Down the road at is Pete’s Tavern, one of the most famous and the oldest literary restaurants in the City. The restaurant was founded in 1864 as the Portman Hotel and then in 1899 when changed to Healy’s Cafe when it was run by John and Tom Healy. Then in 1899, it was bought by Peter D’ Belles and renamed Pete’s Tavern. The restaurant was a ‘Speakeasy’ during prohibition and the dining rooms have not changed much over the last over hundred years (Pete’s Tavern website).
Pete’s Tavern was busy on the night of my first part of the walk.
Pete’s Tavern at 129 East 18th Street
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete%27s_Tavern
My review on TripAdvisor:
The entrance of Pete’s Tavern
The entrance to Pete’s Tavern on Irving Place
The painting outside of Pete’s Tavern of the Speakeasy years
Pete’s Tavern was busy both nights that I passed it. I had not eaten there in over a decade when I had a holiday dinner there with friends by I remember the food and service being excellent. The restaurant is really special during the Christmas holiday season from what I can remember.
My friends Barbara, Lillian and I after dinner at Pete’s Tavern in the early 2000’s
Another restaurant I went to before my friend, Barbara, moved to Florida was a Friend of the a Farmer at 77 Irving Place, a farm to table concept before it became very popular. I remember the food being wonderful but the place being a bit noisy. She lived on the fringe of Gramercy Park and had passed this restaurant many times and had wanted to try it that evening.
Another great restaurant is Friend of a Farmer at 77 Irving Place
https://www.friendofafarmer.com/
My review on TripAdvisor:
Across the street, I passed this apartment building at 76 Irving Place. I loved the outside embellishments on the building and the friendly looks you get from the statuary. The building was built in 1897 by architect Lyndon P. Smith (Corcoran Group).
You have to look up to admire the details of 76 Irving Place
https://www.corcoran.com/listing/for-sale/76-irving-place-manhattan-ny-10003/23012133/regionId/1
https://streeteasy.com/building/76-irving-place-new_york
The entrance to 76 Irving Place with its tiny angels
This woman greets you at 76 Irving Place
The classic architecture of the block especially as you get closer to Gramercy Park changes from smaller apartment buildings to brownstones lining the parks southern border. Gramercy Park offers some of the most interesting architecture. This ivy covered building that impressed me so much as the sun was going down is at 80 Irving Place.
80 Irving Place is currently under renovation
https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-1854-house-at-no-80-irving-place.html
https://www.trulia.com/home/80-irving-pl-new-york-ny-10003-31506439
The house was built as a single family mansion between 1853 and 1854 and had been the home of the prominent Wood family and then to actress Agnes Ethel Tracy. Since 1987, it has been a single family home again. What I thought was interesting was that the house was used in the movie “Working Girl” as Sigourney Weavers character’s home (DaytoninManhattan.com).
81 Irving Place in all its glory
https://streeteasy.com/building/81-irving-place-new_york
https://www.apartments.com/81-irving-pl-new-york-ny-unit-8a/5q6z3mp/
81 Irving Place is one of the most beautiful apartment complexes in the city that I have come across. The embellishments along the building are some of most detailed and elegant I have seen. This prewar Co-Op was built in 1929.
The embellishments of the building
The embellishments of the building
The embellishments of the building
The embellishments of the building
The building has a whimsical almost storybook imagine of creatures protecting their home.
Where I want my future home to be when I retire to the City and can afford it is 19 Gramercy Park South. I have always loved this building since I fell in love with the neighborhood over thirty years ago. I always wanted a home with a key to Gramercy Park. The building has that classic turn of the last century look about it and it has always been my dream to live here when I retire. I need to hurry and win the lottery.
My dream home would be at 19 Gramercy Park South with a key to the park
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19_Gramercy_Park_South
I had thought this was a apartment building but it is actually a single family mansion with 37 rooms. It was built in 1845 and when the mansion was extended by Stamford White in 1887 was the home of socially prominent Stuyvesant-Fish family. It is currently back to being a single family mansion (Wiki).
As I turned the corner at East 20th Street I never tire of peering into Gramercy Park and keep wishing for that key. Gramercy Park is still one of the most beautiful and fantastical parks in New York City. It has once been part of the Stuyvesant estate and got its name from Gramercy Farm that once stood here. It is the only piece of the old Rose Hill Farm still in existence (Wiki).
Gramercy Park on a glorious Spring day
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramercy_Park
Another view of Gramercy Park
I love the beauty of this park. There is an English feel to this park that reminds me of London and some of the neighborhoods that I visited it there. I have never been inside the park but it would be fun to walk around. I found out from researching for another blog on the Rose Hill neighborhood is that Gramercy Park is the corner and last surviving parcel of the old Rose Hill Farm.
East 20th street across from the park has some of the most interesting brownstones in Manhattan. They add to the historic value of the neighborhood. When you turn the corner of Gramercy Park off Irving Place, you will see the classic architecture that surrounds the park. It is one of the most picturesque neighborhoods in Manhattan.
The beauty of East 20th Street across from Gramercy Park
Right across the street from the park sits one of the best known brownstones in the neighborhood housing the “Players Club”. This club was made famous by the movie “Manhattan Murder Mystery’” for the wine tasting scene.
The “Players Club” at 16 East 20th Street
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Players_(New_York_City)
The historic plaque on the building
The scene from “Manhattan Mystery”:
The movie “Manhattan Murder Mystery” by director Woody Allen was shot in the neighborhood
The mansion was built in 1847 and was the home of Valentine G. Hall. The building was bought by actor Edwin Booth, the older brother of John Wilkes Booth who assassinated President Lincoln. He kept a suite for himself at the top of the home and then turned the rest of the building into the “Players Club” in 1888. The club now serves as a social club with artifacts of the theater arts on display and a private restaurant (Wiki).
I loved the entrance way to 13 East 20th Street
https://streeteasy.com/building/13-east-20-street-new_york
This Co-Op building was built in 1910 and has the most elegant appearance at the entrance. This really looks like old New York.
I love the elegance of 13 East 20th Street
Another historical building on the block was 10 East 20th Street which was the home of painter Robert Henri.
East 20th Street the home to painter Robert Henri
The historic marker for painter Robert Henri
Artist Robert Henri
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Henri
https://www.nga.gov/collection/artist-info.1391.html
Artist Robert Henri was an American born artist. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Philadelphia and at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He is best known for his works in the Impressionism movement (Wiki).
As I crossed Park Avenue South, I entered the familiar neighborhood of the Flatiron District meeting the bottom of the Rose Hill neighborhood. This is when Manhattan neighborhood borders get confusing. Since the Union Square technically ends at East 18th Street but that would leave two blocks open without being in a specific neighborhood, I stretched it to East 20th Street. This again borders the Flatiron and Rose Hill/NoMAD section of the City. I figure that I will let the realtors figure this one out.
When you cross the border at Park Avenue South, I admired the same buildings I had seen several month earlier when I walked these streets and avenues just as Fall semester at NYU began.
The building at 250 Park Avenue South houses the restaurant Barbounia in the base of the building.
Barbounia 250 Park Avenue
Review on TripAdvisor:
250 Park Avenue South was designed by architects Rouse & Goldstone in 1911 in the Neo-Classical design.
The detail work on 250 Park Avenue South
https://www.officespace.com/ny/new-york/2231029-250-park-avenue-south
The restaurant ‘Barbounia’ at 250 Park Avenue South
The detail work above the doorway to the building
Next to this building is another beautiful historic building at 42 East 20th Street, housing another great restaurant, The Gramercy Tavern.
The Gramercy Tavern
https://www.gramercytavern.com/
Review on TripAdvisor:
42 East 20th Street
https://www.14to42.net/20streete042.html
42 East 20th Street was designed by the architectural firm of Neville & Bagge and was built in 1890 in the Beaux-Arts design. N.S. Meyer was a military company selling Army and Navy equipment since 1868 (14to42.net).
The beauty of the NS Meyer Inc. building
Next to that is another beautiful building the at 36 East 20th Street. This commercial building was built in 1901 with Beaux-Arts details on it.
36 East 20th Street
https://streeteasy.com/building/36-east-20-street-new_york
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/36-38-E-20th-St-New-York-NY/32032143/
The building is a commercial building that was built in 1901.
The details on the top of 36 East 20th Street
Right down the street at 28 East 20th Street is the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace Historic Site Museum. It had been closed for so long after COVID I never thought it would open any time soon. It did finally open late last year and I thought this was one of the most interesting of the historical homes in the City. This one had been completely recreated by the family and then furnished with family heirlooms from the original house. That makes for an interesting museum.
Theodore Roosevelt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt
The Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site at 28 East 20th Street
https://www.nps.gov/thrb/index.htm
My review on TripAdvisor:
My review on VistingaMuseum.com:
At 28 East 20th Street is the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace Historic Site, which is an exact replication of the original home that President Theodore Roosevelt was born and raised. The house that originally stood on the site was built in 1848 and was bought by the Roosevelts in 1854. Theodore Roosevelt was born there on October 27, 1858, and lived in the house with his family until 1872, when the neighborhood began to become more commercial and the family moved uptown (Wiki).
The Roosevelt House Living Room
The original building was demolished in 1916 to make way for retail space, but upon the death of Roosevelt in 1919 the lot was purchased and the house rebuilt by the Women’s Roosevelt Memorial Association, which eventually merged with the Roosevelt Memorial Association in 1953 to form the Theodore Roosevelt Association.
Theodore Roosevelt’s bedroom
Noted female American architect Theodate Pope Riddle was given the task of reconstructing a replica of the house, as well as designing the museum, situated next door, that serves to complete the site (Wiki).
The Parlor of the house
You have to take time when the museum is open to take the independent tour. When you walk around the house you will swear that the family had just left the room to grab something. It is well worth the trip to see how the family lived before they moved uptown.
The next building on the block that is unique is 7 East 20th Street, the old Holtz Building.
The ornate, Beaux-Arts edifice was erected in 1907 as a commercial building with the Holtz Restaurant located on the lower two floors. In the early 1900’s Phillip Braender commissioned architect William C. Frohne to design a 12-story building, with the lower two floors being specifically customized and designed to house for the Holtz Restaurant. The Holtz was a high-end establishment catering to the upper echelon of the population and converted to condo lofts in 1987 (Corcoran Group.org/Streeteasy.org)
https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/flatiron-union-square/holtz-house-7-east-20th-street/354
https://streeteasy.com/building/7-east-20-street-new_york
The embellishments by the doorway
The Holtz Company sign at the top of the building
The elegant details at the top of the building guard over the people who work here
Another great building on the block is the Hudson Company building at East 20th Street. This is a mixed use building that was built in 1910.
5 East 20th Street used to be a former carriage house.
https://streeteasy.com/building/5-east-20-street-new_york
After I finished the walk down East 20th Street, I walked back down Fifth Avenue to Union Square Park in the mid afternoon to see what was going on. There was a smaller version of the bigger weekend Farmers Market.
The Union Square Greenmarket in full swing on a sunny afternoon
https://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket/manhattan-union-square-m
After walking through all the stands and admiring the wares and the baked goods, I wanted to cool down with a walk through the park. I never really noticed all the beautiful statuary in the park before. There is a lot of interesting and famous works in the park.
The golden plaque on the sidewalk outside Union Square Park with the original layout of the park
New Yorkers relaxing on a warm sunny afternoon in Union Square Park
When I walked around the park, I noticed more and more artwork and statuary around the park. This flagpole is located in the middle of the park. You really have to walk around the base to appreciate the details the artist created on this.
The Independence Flagstaff in Union Square Park
Although this flagstaff commemorates the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it is also known as the Charles F. Murphy Memorial Flagpole. The intricate bas-reliefs and plaques were completed in 1926 by sculptor Anthony De Francisci and feature a procession of allegorical figures representing democracy and tyranny, the text of the Declaration of Independence, and emblems from the original 13 colonies. The enormous flagpole, said to be one of the largest in New York State, is capped with a gilded sunburst (NYCParks.org).
Artist Anthony De Francisci
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_de_Francisci
https://americanart.si.edu/artist/anthony-de-francisci-1173
Artist Anthony De Francisci is an Italian born artist whose family were stone carvers by trade. He studied at Copper Union and the National Academy of Design when he moved to New York City. He is known for his known for his work as a sculptor and his design of American currency.
The details are amazing on the flagstaff
Located at the northern end of the Union Square is the prominent statue of President Lincoln. This statue stands and overlooks the lawn of the park.
Abraham Lincoln
https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/abraham-lincoln/
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/union-square-park/monuments/913
This impressive statue of Abraham Lincoln was designed by sculptor Henry Kirke Brown and was dedicated in 1870. In his statue of Lincoln, cast in 1868, and dedicated September 16, 1870, he combines a classically styled pose with a perceptive naturalism, uniting realistic detail with an idealistic stance (NYCParks.org).
Artist Henry Kirke Brown
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Kirke_Brown
Artist Henry Kirke Brown was an American born artist who had studied with artists in Italy for his training. He is best known for his figurative historical statues. He also designed the statue of George Washington in Union Square.
There is a lot more to Union Square than just the park. There is interesting architecture. Historic statuary, wonderful restaurants and great selection of stores.
The amazing part about Union Square is the transformation of the area in the past thirty years from a park that everyone avoided to one that people could not live without. From the days of being home to one of the biggest methadone clinics in the City to be home to Union Square Cafe which transformed the park, Union Square has become the gateway to Uptown.
The Northern end of Union Square Park
The neighborhood has transformed itself with hip cafes, expensive lofts and a Farmers Market that is the benchmark that all others hold themselves. Just watching people sit and relax in the park reminds me of how this area had changed. You have to walk the streets to see the influences of the past and the present and how it has it has morphed to the neighborhood that it has become.
Union Square Park on that sunny warm June afternoon
As I explored the borders of the park, I came across a statue of a mother and child. I never noticed that this was an old water fountain for the park. It is always blocked off by vendors during either the Farmers or Arts Markets. With nothing in front of it, I could finally see it in its full form.
The Union Square Drinking Fountain
https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/union-square-park/monuments/797
Consisting of a bronze statuary group atop a granite stepped pedestal, it was crafted by German sculptor Karl Adolph Donndorf and donated by philanthropist Daniel Willis James to promote public health as well as the virtue of charity (NYCParks.org).
Artist Karl Adolph Donndorf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_von_Donndorf
Artist Karl Adolph Donndorf was a German born artist know for his large realistic sculptures. He had served as an artist apprentice to further his education on sculpture (Wiki).
Just looking at old pictures online of Union Square in the 1970’s and 80’s shows me the power and resilience of Manhattan. It just goes to show you how a City can reinvent itself even in the worst of times and keep morphing!
The other blogs on the Union Square neighborhood:
Day Three Hundred and Thirteen: Walking the Borders of Union Square:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/48888
Day Three Hundred and Seventeen: Walking the Avenues of Union Square:
https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/50233
Day Three Hundred and Eighteen: Walking the Streets of Union Square:
With the warmer months upon us and the coming of the summer, new exhibitions are opening up and is the museums chance to showcase their exhibitions before they open to the public. These after hour events give the members a chance to see these exhibitions when the museum is closed for the evening.
The welcome to the Private Members Night at the MoMA.
I thought the line to the recent Private Members Night at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was long until I saw the line to get into the MoMA. It wrapped around the block to the West 53rd Street entrance. They should have had multiple entrances for this event because so many people were in line. We were lucky in that the line moved really fast and we got in the museum rather quickly.
The crowd dispersed quickly with some people intrigued by the visual display in the lobby outside the main courtyard where the concert would take place that evening.
The visual art display in the lobby of the Museum of Modern Art mesmerizes everyone.
Unlike like The Met, there is not the room in the main hall or the courtyard for all these people. Ron Carter, the famous Jazz musician was playing in the courtyard and they had to hold the line because there were too many people outside. Knowing these events, I got outside for the concert as soon as I made a trip to the bathroom (that was packed too). The courtyard was full of groups talking and waiting in line to get to the bar.
The crowds were huge at this event.
The worst part was that there were only two bars for all these people. One was in the lobby and one was in the courtyard and the lines were easily sixty deep for most of the night. There should have been a second bar both in the courtyard and maybe on the second floor of the museum to handle the flow of people. Still people did not seem to mind.
I was lucky in that I went to the courtyard first after going to the bathroom so I did not have to leave the courtyard so quick. I could see they were holding the line to get outside and the concert would only be from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. Even when I left the courtyard at 8:10pm, the line was still sizable to get outside. The concert was well worth it.
Jazz artist Ron Carter performing
A small clip from the show:
Mr. Carter’s performance was excellent. I could not believe that the first time he had been to the museum was in 1965. The last time he performed here was in 1993. For a guy in his 80’s, he looks in great shape. The concert was really good but since there was not enough seating for everyone it made it a bit in comfortable for the audience. Still I stayed through the first four numbers and enjoyed the music.
Around 8:15pm, I saw all these people peering through the window of the lobby and figured I should go see other things at the museum before it closes. About thirty other people felt the same way and a large group of us left the courtyard to the relief of another thirty who were let in. The concert only had about fifteen minutes left.
Ron Carter’s number last number when I left.
I went to explore the museum and see a few of the exhibitions that I missed the last time I was in the museum. This was the start of the Spring shows. As the concert started to wind down, the rest of the museum became busy.
German artist Kathie Kollwitz exhibition
https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/5625
One of the features of the even was scratch artist Kathie Kollwitz whose work spanned the world wars and show the plight of the working class in Germany during and in between the wars.
The paintings of Kathie Kollwitz.
Times were so rough for these people at that time and conditions not pleasant, the artwork reflected it. It was really depressing and I could see why Hitler rose to power. Her work showed how raw life was like between the wars and how bad their economy was at the time.
The other exhibition I saw was American artist Latoya Ruby Frazier, whose work representing our own working and underclass and of a population in Pennsylvania who time has passed by. The artist’s family was exposed to the problems of the steel industry and the after effects of its collapse.
The Latoya Ruby Frazier exhibition on the Private Members Night
https://www.moma.org/artists/47008
I liked about her show was the honesty of the whole show. She showed her personal relationship with her relationship with her grandmother and her family. She also showcased her community, who had so much influence in her life. The community had been so badly affected by pollution, poverty and discrimination that it left a scar on the tight knit community of Braddock, PA.
The artist’s gallery display of her relationship with her family
When the biggest employer left, the much needed hospital, closed because their headquarters said it was losing money. This with the loss of the automotive industry caused the community to deteriorate. These are the communities that time left behind after WWII. It was really honest work.
The decline of Braddock as industry left the area.
The exhibition was heartbreaking and touching at the same time. She showed how much she cared about her community and many others in the exhibition like Flint, MI and Youngstown, PA and how one change in corporate behavior can effect the entire community.
I was able to visit other parts of the museum as well but all things do come to an end after three hours and it was time to leave. By the end of the evening, I was ready to go. What an interesting and engaging evening it was and what a great job the MoMA did creating this fantastic evening for all of us.
The skyline along Sixth Avenue.
When I left the museum for the evening, the lights of midtown came on. I never get bored on how beautiful the City is at night.
Walking back to the Port Authority at night.
It was another wonderful Member’s Night. This is why you should join the MoMA!
The “Met After Hours” sign inside the museum that evening.
How beautiful and welcoming the Met always looks on Private Members Nights.
After the weekend of my graduation from NYU and the activities of the graduation, I had almost forgotten that the Metropolitan Museum of Art was having one of their ‘Private Members Nights’ the next Monday. Between the last days of classes at both colleges and my graduation, it was nice to have a break and get my mind off everything.
‘Private Members Nights’ are a special night that happens usually on Monday when the museum closes early and a large portion of the museum is open exclusively to just members and a guest. They are a great to spend an evening touring the museum at a slower pace. Only certain parts of the building are open as well as the exhibitions so it gives everyone a chance to see particular exhibitions.
What is nice is that they have a Members Bar and the restaurants open so the members can relax and have dinner or a drink or both. There an also music so it makes it a very festive and social evening. This was a very crowded section of the museum
The Members Bar and Music on the Private Members Night.
Since I had just been in the museum the other week to see the ‘Harlem Renaissance’ exhibition and a couple of the other exhibitions, I decided to see two others I was interested in ‘Weaving Abstraction’ and ‘Sleeping Beauties’, an exhibition on Vintage clothing and the memories and personality left behind by their former owners.
The entrance to the ‘Weaving Abstraction’ exhibition.
In the exhibition for ‘Weaving Abstraction’ the art is a comparison of ancient Pre-Columbian Art and modern artists equivalents. The comparison and the quality of the artwork was intriguing. Sometimes I could not tell what was ancient and what was new.
The description of ‘Weaving Abstraction’
The work took a modern approach to how each artist interpreted the art. What I found interesting with the art and this is without looking at the signs is what was ancient and what was modern.
Some of the current pieces in the collection.
Some of the modern pieces in the collection mixed in with Pre-Columbian art.
Some of the more modern pieces in the exhibition.
The Loincloth was one of my favorite pieces in the exhibition.
The Loincloth was one of the most interesting and colorful pieces in the exhibition.
I was able to relax and have a drink at the bar before I headed up to the ‘Sleeping Beauties’ exhibition. The line was long and moved quickly showing that the exhibition was really popular.
The ‘Sleeping Beauties’ exhibition is a different angle at looking at clothing. Rather than its history, it looks at the personality of its prior owner. The means the smells that the owners left with things like perfume and smoking. Near most of the clothing there were scent beads to better represent the smells.
This detailed evening cape I thought was beautiful.
The description of the Cape made by Gucci.
This beaded jacket I thought was one of the nicest pieces in the collection.
Some unusual displays took center stage at the exhibition.
The collection of vintage clothing on display from different eras.
This dress studded with beads and embellishments was influenced by insects and bugs.
The description of this evening dress by the House of Lanvin.
By the time I had finished viewing the exhibition, it was almost time to leave. The lines had been so long to see “Sleeping Beauties” (this had been extremely popular that evening) that it was almost ten o’clock when I left.
The evenings are when the museum shows its true magic when it is all lit up. Here is the outside of the museum at the end of the evening.
The Met at the end of the evening.
The courtyard outside the museum at night.
The fountain lit for the evening had almost a musical appearance.
The Members entrance as I was leaving for the evening. This is the true beauty of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
It was a relaxing evening of music and great art. Just what I needed after a long semester and my graduation from college.
One World Trade Center
One World Trade Center from the 9/11 Memorial Pools.
mywalkinmanhattan 