Tag Archives: Exploring Hudson Yards

Day Two Hundred and Thirty-Eight Walking the Avenues of Northern Chelsea/Flower District from Eleventh to Seventh Avenues from West 28th to West 23rd Streets June 6th, 2022 (revisited October 20th, 2022)

Cheap Spanish Restaurant for Budget Minded, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New York City, exploring Chelsea, Exploring Hudson Yards, Exploring Manhattan, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Chelsea Neighborhood in Manhattan, Exploring the Garment District, Exploring the Hudson Yards, Historic New York City neighborhoods, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Pizzeria's and Italian Restaurants for the budget-minded, Sandwich and Deli's for the budget minded, Spanish Restaurants for the budget minded, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New York City, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The weather finally started to cooperate, and it was a beautiful day today. I started my day at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, helping pack a thousand bags of snacks to serve with the meals to our guests and then worked in Social Services helping people with their mail and getting them toiletries. Everyone had me running in the morning.

After lunch with the other volunteers, I set off to walk the Avenues of the Chelsea neighborhood and explore the neighborhood more in depth. Since I have been working for the Soup Kitchen all these years, I know most of the neighborhood from walking the streets in the past. In all the years that I worked at Macy’s and did my graduate work at the Fashion Institute of Technology, I knew the Sixth and Seventh Avenue areas quite well.

I have noted the changes many times to the Flower District which was much bigger and much different before all the apartment buildings went up along Sixth Avenue. There is a small section still left between Sixth and Seventh Avenues along West 28th Street. Even the Garment District has been shrinking with the rezoning of the neighborhood. New hotels and apartment complexes have replaced the commercial businesses of the neighborhood and with that changing the complexity of the neighborhood to a more residential area.

I started my walk strolling down Eleventh Avenue from the edge of the Hudson Yards neighborhood to the border of Chelsea at West 23rd Street. As I have said in previous blogs, everything between Twelveth and Eleventh Avenues is being knocked down and rebuilt as well as parks are being renovated. These city blocks are becoming the new ‘Gold Coast’ being so close to companies like Google’s New York City campus.

There has been a renaissance of the buildings along this part of the Hudson River. Old storage facilities and shipping buildings are being or have been renovated for office and hospitality use along with former garages becoming art galleries.

The first building that I passed was the Terminal Warehouse at 261 Eleventh Avenue. The Terminal was built in 1891 and designed by architect George Mallory. It has been used in the past as a train terminal and distribution center for the New York Central Railroad . In the 1980’s and early 90’s, it was used as the famous nightclub “Tunnel” and then use as self-storage facility. The Terminal Warehouse is now going through a multi-billion dollar renovation to convert the warehouse from a distribution center to a modern office complex (Columbia Property Trust/69th Street).

The Terminal Warehouse at 261 Eleventh Avenue

https://www.ll-holding.com/

https://columbia.reit/

When it is finished, the building will house multi-office space, retail and restaurants all while bordering the Hudson River and the Highline Park.

Next to the Terminal Warehouse is the Starrett-Leigh Building at 601 West 26th Street. This interesting complex was built in 1931 by architectural firm of Cory & Cory. It had been originally used as a freight transportation center. Since the creation of the Highline Park and the demand for office space in this area, it has been a leader in the creation of the Tech Center “Silicon Alley”.

The Starrett-Leigh Building at 601 West 26th Street

https://starrett-lehigh.com/

https://rxr.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starrett%E2%80%93Lehigh_Building

The building was a partnership between the Starrett Corporation and the Leigh Valley Railroad when it was built. By 1944, the Leigh Valley Railroad had pulled operations out of the building and by 1966, the last of the rail lines were pulled out. The building is currently going through another major renovation to convert it into first class office space (RXR).

The desirability of working and living in this once shipping and rail area of the neighborhood keeps changing the complexity of area between the Hudson River, Twelveth and Eleventh Avenues. It is becoming the center of the tech and creative industries of New York City. As you walk up Eleventh Avenue, you will observe large buildings whose future might change.

Tenth Avenue starts the more residential part of Chelsea and where you can see the transition of the neighborhood from the old commercial area to an upscale residential place with new restaurants, galleries and shops.

As you walk down Tenth Avenue from the kids playing soccer on the fields of Chelsea Park, on one side of the Avenue is the combination of the Chelsea-Elliott Public Housing project and on the other side is the Avenues School, an innovative private school for kids all over New York City. This was the subject of an HBO Documentary “Class Divide”, on the changes of demographics and economics in New York City.

The documentary “Class Divide” by HBO

The Chelsea-Elliott Houses are located between West 25th and 27th Streets between Ninth and Tenth Avenues (but not the full block) and were designed by architect William Lescaze. They were the first houses to be designed in the high rise with a park concept (Wiki).

Chelsea-Elliott Houses between West 25th and 27th Streets off Tenth Avenue (Wiki)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea-Elliott_Houses

Click to access Elliott.pdf

On the opposite side of Tenth Avenue sits the Avenues The World School, one of the most innovative and progressive new schools in New York City. Branches of the school have already opened in South America and China. They will also be opening branches in Miami and Silicon Valley.

An education at Avenues concentrates on a global outlook with courses being taught in English, Spanish or Mandarin Chinese starting in nursury school. The school believes in technology and a group approach to learning. It is also almost $40,000 a year (Avenues.com).

Avenues The World School at 259 Tenth Avenue

https://www.avenues.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avenues:_The_World_School

With these changes in education and in the whole makeup up of this part of the neighborhood, you can see why the documentary was made in its context. A whole section of society is advancing towards the future and another is being left behind.

I thought about all this as I passed the projects on my way back up Tenth Avenue from West 23rd Street, observing the kids who were going from Avenues into the playground at the Chelsea-Elliott Houses playground to play. The documentary really stuck home.

Tenth Avenue does have its contrasts on the other side of the avenue as well as from West 25th to 24th Streets still have the historical character of the old neighborhood with the old brownstones and townhouses on one side of the avenue. It just shows how Manhattan keeps reinventing itself and you can see this block by block in Manhattan.

Chelsea Historic District at West 24th Street

Ninth Avenue is where my start off point was from the entrance of Holy Apostles Church. What I did learn from walking the neighborhood was more about the history of The Church of the Holy Apostles. The Church of the Holy Apostles was built between 1845 to 1848 and was designed by architect Minard Lafever with the stained-glass windows designed by William Jay Bolton (Wiki).

The church has always been progressive, and it was rumored to be part of the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. The church had been an extension of the Trinity Church downtown for the working-class people in the area. Now it also runs the second largest Soup Kitchen in the United States. The biggest is in San Franciso (Wiki).

The Church of the Holy Apostles at 296 Ninth Avenue feels like a second home to me

Home

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Holy_Apostles_(Manhattan)

The church gardens in the Spring.

It was also convenient in that it was where I needed to start my walk on Ninth Avenue where the church is located right across from Chelsea Park south of the northern section of Hudson Yards and right across from the Lower Garment District (please read my blogs on walking these parts of Manhattan as well).

What I never noticed in the almost 17 years that I have been volunteering at the Soup Kitchen was that it was a park. Chelsea Park is located across the street at the corner of Ninth Avenue and between West 28th and 27th Streets. I had always thought this was part of P.S. 33, the elementary school next door complex. There is a whole separate park behind that corner.

Chelsea Park during the summer months

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/chelsea-park/facilities/playgrounds

Chelsea Park extends all the way to Tenth Avenue with soccer and basketball courts and places for people to not just run but relax under the blanket of trees in the summer. Facing Ninth Avenue in a small courtyard is the statue of the ‘Chelsea Doughboy’.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/chelsea-park

“The Chelsea Doughboy” Memorial (NYCParks.org)

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/chelsea-park/monuments/232

The statute was designed to honor the war veterans of WWI. The term “Doughboy” no one is too sure where it originated. Some think from the fried dough dumplings that the soldiers eat or maybe from the way their uniforms looked which were a little baggy or from the dough clay that they used to clean their uniforms (NYCParks.org).

The statue was designed by artist Philip Martiny.

Artist Philip Martiny

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Martiny

Artist Philip Martiny was a French born American artist who settled in New York when he immigrated here in 1878. He was a contemporary of artist August Saint-Gaudens and known for his decorative styles in the Beaux-Arts fashion. He created many sculptures for buildings in New York City and Washington DC (Wiki).

As I continued my walk down Ninth Avenue, I could see that the Chelsea Prep School was out for a break and the kids were screaming and yelling all over the playground. I have to say that the playground could use some work and the amount of homeless guys hanging out around the kids I don’t think is the smartest thing as well.

The interesting paintings at the Chelsea School PS 33

When passing West 25th to 23rd Streets on the right side, you will see the fringes of the historic district mixed in with the commercial area with shops and restaurants. Really look up and admire the architecture of the old townhouses and apartment buildings before they start to disappear.

The West Chelsea Historic District

Click to access westchelsea.pdf

Eighth Avenue is an unusual mix of residential buildings with the Penn South complex on one side of avenue and the Fashion Institute of Technology campus on the other side. Penn South was built for the workers of the International Ladies Garment Union and were designed by architect Herman Jessor (Wiki). The buildings are surrounded by series of parks and paths.

Penn South at 334 West 24th Street

https://www.pennsouth.coop/

The rest of the block is a commercial district of stores and restaurants. There are a few standouts when you reach the corner of Eighth Avenue and West 23rd Street. What I love about Chelsea is that it is a treasure trove of reasonable restaurants that dot the street all the way to Sixth Avenue.

Right in the center of the avenue, across from the Fashion Institute of Technology at 335 Eighth Avenue is the McDonald’s. I spent many a afternoon and evening at both when I was attending school here and after Soup Kitchen when I did not want to eat the lunch. I still love their McDoubles and the breakfasts. Right next door is Taco Bandito at 325 Eighth Avenue for authentic and very cheap Mexican food (See my reviews on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com).

Taco Bandito at 325 Eighth Avenue (Closed December 2022)

Taco Bandito and McDonalds are right around the corner from The Fashion Institute of Technology at 325 and 355 Eighth Avenue respectively (McDonalds closed in January 2023).

https://www.tacobanditochelsea.com/

https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/location/ny/manhattan/335-8th-ave/3653.html

Just off the corner of Eighth Avenue is Lions & Tigers & Squares at 268 West 23rd Street, which has the best Detroit style pizza that I have tasted in New York City. The sauce and cheese are baked into the sides of their pizza, and they really load down on the toppings.

Lions & Tigers & Squares at 268 West 23rd Street

https://www.lionsandtigersandsquares.com/

Don’t miss their sausage or pepperoni pizza which has a heavy covering of spicy sliced pepperoni and the sweet sausage that is topped with maple syrup. Their pizza has a crisp outside and a pillowy inside.

The Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza here is just excellent

Just next to Lions & Tigers & Squares is Lucky’s Famous Burgers at 264 West 23rd Street. This amazing little restaurant serves the best burgers and chicken fingers. Their French Fries come in a little sack that can serve two people.

Lucky’s Famous Burgers at 264 West 23rd Street (Closed June 2023)

https://www.luckysfamousburgers.com/

When I had lunch there recently when I was finishing my walk around West Chelsea/Hudson Yards, I had the juiciest twin Cheeseburgers and a bag of fries. Their burgers are so fresh and well-cooked and topped with lots of fresh vegetables. They are so well caramelized on the outside that the burgers have such a good flavor when combined with the toppings.

The Mini Cheeseburgers with fries are excellent at Lucky’s Famous Burgers

Seventh Avenue is mostly commercial with a smattering of residential here and there above the businesses and some of the newer apartment buildings that are going up. The Garment District as I had mentioned in previous blogs has been slowly disappearing and being replaced by a combination of new office space and hotels.

In the years since I worked on Seventh Avenue, I have seen some major changes in the neighborhood with older commercial buildings coming down for new office space. Then there is the disappearance of the Flower District for new apartments and what is left is concentrated between Sixth and Seventh Avenues on West 28th Street.

Seventh Avenue’s businesses were also hit hard by the pandemic, especially surrounding the Fashion Insitute of Technology, which had stopped classes and went virtual by March of 2020. That affected all the restaurants around the college that had once catered to all the students and staff. During 2020 and most of 2021, the area was plaqued with graffitti filled buildings that stood empty for almost two years. Now with the college reopened, businesses have reopened in their place and things are started to look vibrant again.

The Fashion Institute of Technology is on Seventh Avenue between West 28th and 26th Streets and sits in the center of the Garment District. The college is part of the SUNY system of colleges of the State of New York and was founded in 1944. The Colleges emphasis is on Fashion, the Arts, Design and Business and been founded to serve the growing Garment Industry that once surrounded it (Wiki).

The Fashion Institute of Technology at 227 West 27th Street

https://www.fitnyc.edu/

Art by the Student Center

When you arrive on the front of campus, you are greeted by one of the most iconic sculptures in the City, The ‘Eye of Fashion’ by artist Robert Cornbach. This was designed by the artist in 1976 and just returned to the campus after a major renovation.

“The Eye of Fashion” by artist Robert Cornbach

Robert Cornbach was an American born artist from St. Louis, who was educated at the St. Louis Academy of Fine Arts and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. He was known for his large abstract artworks that includes sculptures and fountains (NYTimes.com/Obituary). He also created works for the WPA for the Government’s Federal Art Project (Wiki).

Artist Robert Cornbach

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Cronbach

Located on the Fashion Institute of Technology campus is one of the most underrated college museums, the Museum of FIT at 227 West 27th Street located right inside the Shirley Goodman Building.

The Museum at FIT at 227 West 27th Street

https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/index.php

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d548861-Reviews-The_Museum_at_FIT-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/483

The recent protest on campus in April 2024

Painting on the FIT wall outside the main building April 2024. Just a hint due to the unrest on campus.

The Museum at FIT (MFIT) was founded in 1969 and is the only museum in New York City dedicated solely to the art of fashion. Best known for its innovative and award-winning exhibitions, the museum has a permanent collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating from the eighteenth century to the present, MFIT is a member of the American Alliance of Museums. Its mission is to educate and inspire diverse audiences with innovative exhibitions and programs that advance knowledge of fashion.

The museum’s current exhibition is ‘Dior + Balenciaga-Kings of Couture and their Legacies’, which studies both designers work after WWII at a time when people wanted luxury and elegance at the end of the war years. They also resurrected the French fashion scene after the war (The Museum at FIT).

The museum was founded in 1969 as a Design Lab and became a full museum in 1994. The museum shows are taken directly from the collection and from pieces borrowed.

https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/exhibitions/dior-balenciaga.php

After you pass the campus and continue walking south towards West 23rd Street, there are three wonderful restaurants side by side. All of them very reasonable and the food is delicious.

On the corner of Eighth Avenue are three restaurants I have noted many times in this blog for either their creative cooking or their cheap eats. These are real neighborhood restaurants. The first one being Chelsea Papaya at 171 West 23rd Street, which was the starting point when I had breakfast last summer when I started “The Great Saunter” walk on Father’s Day. The breakfasts here are just amazing. The pancake platter was out of this world and their breakfast sandwich Bacon Egg and Cheese was delicious.

Chelsea Papaya at 171 West 23rd Street is great for all meals

https://www.chelseapapayany.com/

Next door to it is Pizza Gaga at 171 West 23rd Street for $1.50 slices and $1.00 cans of soda. This is my ‘go-to’ place when I need a quick snack and then need to dash on the subway to go somewhere else.

The cheese pizza at Pizza Gaga at 171 West 23rd Street is really good

https://www.pizzagagamenu.com/

A few doors down is Excellent Dumpling House at 165 West 23rd Street. I have only eaten there once but the food was pretty good that evening but it still warrants a second trip because the raving that it got online did not live up to the hype of the food. The Soup Dumplings I had that night were large but did not have that much flavor.

Excellent Dumpling House at 165 West 23rd Street

https://excellentdumpling.nyc/

On my way back up Seventh Avenue, I noticed the vibe that was returning to the area with students returning to the campus and workers to the offices and garment manufacturers back to the showrooms. This area looked like a graffiti ghost town for too long. There are still traces of it here and there but with all the scaffolding on Seventh Avenue I can see that something new will arise from the ashes.

Chelsea and its overlapping with both the ever shrinking Garment District and the ever growing Hudson Yards is bursting with new construction and new businesses ready for the next stage post-COVID.

Before I left the City that night, I took a quick walk up Ninth Avenue and stopped for a slice at Two Brothers Pizza at 542 Ninth Avenue. It is my ‘go-to’ spot on my way home when I want a quick snack. As usual, it was packed with people who like their ‘dollar’ slices as well.

Two Brothers Pizza at 542 Ninth Avenue

https://www.2brospizzanewyork.com/

Even now as I was eating my slice, I could see the changes with all the new hotels surrounding Port Authority that the neighborhood was changing and getting better. This is all within the last ten years. The only problem is that they now charge $1.50!

It is going to be interesting to see what arises when the scaffolding comes down.

See my other blogs on Walking North Chelsea/Flower District:

Day Two Hundred and Thirty Seven: Walking the Borders of North Chelsea/Flower District:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/24014

Day Two Hundred and Thirty-Eight: Walking the Avenues of North Chelsea/Flower District:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/24140

Day Two Hundred and Thirty-Nine: Walking the Streets of North Chelsea/Flower District:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/24212

Places to Visit:

The Museum at FIT on the Fashion Institute of Technology Campus

Seventh Avenue at 27th Street

New York, NY  10001-5992

(212) 217-4558

https://www.fitnyc.edu/museum/

Hours: Tuesday-Friday-12:00pm-8:00pm/Saturday-10:00am-5:00pm/Closed Sunday-Monday and all legal holidays

Fee: Free

TripAdvisor Review:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d548861-Reviews-The_Museum_at_FIT-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/483

Places to Eat:

Taco Bandito

325 Eight Avenue (between 26th and 27th Streets in Chelsea)

New York, NY  10001

(212) 989-5518/5571/Fax: (212) 989-5537

http://www.tacobandito.com/

http://www.tacobanditochelsea.com

https://www.tacobanditochelsea.com/

Open: Monday-Saturday: 11:00am-11:00pm/Sunday: 12:00pm-10:00pm

Fast Free Delivery (minimum $8.00, minimum credit card charge $8.00)

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d4966729-Reviews-Taco_Bandito-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/608

McDonald’s

335 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10001

(929) 370-1174

https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/location/ny/manhattan/335-8th-ave/3653.html

Open: 24 Hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d3717041-Reviews-McDonald_s-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/541

Lucky’s Famous Burgers

370 West 52nd Street/264 West 23rd Street

New York, NY 10019/10011

(212) 247-6717/(212) 242-4900

https://www.luckysfamousburgers.com/

https://www.facebook.com/luckysfamousburgers/

Open: Sunday-Wednesday 11:00am-1:00am/Thursday 11:00am-3:00am/Friday-Saturday 11:00am-4:30am

My review on TripAdvisor for West 52nd Street:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d946855-Reviews-Lucky_s_Famous_Burgers-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/2471

Lions & Tigers & Squares

268 West 23rd Street

New York, NY  10011

(917) 271-6772

http://www.lionsandtigersandsquares.com

Open: Sunday-Saturday-11:00am-4:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d14124878-Reviews-Lions_Tigers_Squares_Detroit_Pizza-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com”

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/766

Chelsea Papaya

171 West 23rd Street

New York, NY 10011

(212) 352-9060

https://www.chelseapapayany.com/

Open: Sunday 10:30am-11:00pm/Monday-Wednesday 10:15am-11:00pm/Thursday-Saturday 10:15am-4:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d4812637-Reviews-Chelsea_Papaya-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/2267

Pizza Gaga

171 West 23rd Street

New York, NY 10011

(212) 937-0358

https://www.pizzagagamenu.com/

https://www.pizzagagamanhattan.com/

Open: Sunday 12:30pm-7:30pm/Monday-Wednesday 10:30am-8:30pm/Thursday-Saturday 10:30am-4:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d4870097-r841023222-Pizza_Gaga-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Excellent Dumpling House

165 West 23rd Street

New York, NY 10011

(212) 989-8885

https://excellentdumpling.nyc/

Open: Sunday-Saturday 11:00am-9:45pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d13007843-Reviews-Excellent_Dumpling_House-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

2 Brothers Pizza

542 9th Avenue

Between 39th & 40th Street

New York City, NY  10018

(212) 777-0600

https://www.2brospizza.com/location/542-9th-ave-new-york-ny-10018/

https://www.2brospizza.com/Locations2/

Open: Monday-Friday-10:00am-1:00pm/Saturday-Sunday-10:30am-3:00am

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d2200990-Reviews-2_Bros_Pizza-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Locations: They also have locations at 549 9th Avenue, 31 West 46th Street and 755 6th Avenue

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/356

Day Two Hundred and Thirty: Walking the Avenues of the lower Hudson Yards/West Chelsea Tenth and Eleventh Avenues from West 34th to West 28th Streets April 11th, 2022

exploring Chelsea, Exploring Hudson Yards, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring NYC Parks, Exploring the Chelsea Neighborhood in Manhattan, Exploring the Rim of the Island of Manhattan, Gourmet restaurants for the budget minded, Historic New York City neighborhoods, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Sandwich and Deli's for the budget minded, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The weather finally broke today, and the sun came out and it warmed up. Now it feels like Spring even with the threat of a snowstorm in a few days. I am just hoping that all we get is rain. The thought of snow with all my daffodils and tulips coming up is too depressing. I figure the weather is getting warmer on the East Coast and we will not have to worry about this.

I was finally able to volunteer in the Soup Kitchen after two years. The days of the buffet lunches is over with COVID going on and we have now switched to a bagged grab and go meal with a to go hot entrée and bagged snacks to go with it. We had to bag over 500 pieces not just for the day but for the next day as well. Five of us got the work done with an hour to spare and we were able to finish by 11:30am.

I had time to visit the Avenues of the Hudson Yards and because there were only two Avenues to visit, it did not take too much time. I spent most of my time avoiding construction sites and dodging vehicles. As I have said in previous blogs in this neighborhood, these blocks are rising like the ‘Land of Oz’ and as each is finished adds to the simmering look of a modern neighborhood encased by the rest of Manhattan. The Hudson Yards is a city amongst itself.

The modern day architecture adds a totally new look to Midtown Manhattan and you should see the views from New Jersey as you exit the Lincoln Tunnel. It looks like a glittering picture with the buildings lit. It reminds me of when I worked in Manhattan before 9/11 and looking at the magnificence of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers at night. This always showed the power of New York City.

The Hudson Yards complex

As I finished my day at the Soup Kitchen, I made my way across West 28th Street passing Chelsea Park. The playground was busy with school children on their recess and parents and guardians watching them. The benches was filled with homeless people who were starting to eat their lunches that we had just served them and talking among themselves. It is sad that this is still a state of affairs in the twenty-first century but I am not sure what the solution is in the era of COVID. I just try to do my part to give people their dignity back.

Still when you reach the edge of the park on Tenth Avenue, it is like walking into another world. Tenth Avenue is lined with art galleries, high end restaurants and luxury homes that are mentioned in the documentary “Class Divide”. Two worlds that co-exist next to one another on the edge of the public housing projects.

“Class Divide” on HBO on West Chelsea/Hudson Yards

Since it was such a beautiful sunny day, I started walking up Eighth Avenue, watching the crowds grow near the new shopping center and make their way to “The Edge” on the top of 30 Hudson Yards. The views from the top must have been thrilling on such a clear sunny day.

The building 30 Hudson Yards was designed by architect Bill Pederson of the firm Kohn Pederson Fox and Associates and is the new home for the WarnerMedia Company and is located at the corner of Tenth Avenue and West 33rd Street. The building is the second tallest building in New York City behind One World Trade Center and has the highest outdoor Observation Deck in the City. The building is taller than the Empire State Building located further down the road at Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street (Related Oxford website).

30 Hudson Yards in the Hudson Yards complex (Wiki)

https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/work/30-hudson-yards

https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/discover/edge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_Hudson_Yards

The observation deck, “The Edge” is located on the 100th floor of the building and offers spectacular views of New York City and New Jersey. It is the highest outdoor observation deck in the City and showcases the innovation in design (Related Oxford/Wiki).

“The Edge” at the top of 30 Hudson Yards (The Edge)

https://www.edgenyc.com/en

I could see that tourists were finally coming back to Manhattan as the lines are starting to get longer at the site. It is nice to see people visiting New York City again. As I walked past the Hudson Yards Mall, I realized that this was where the Highline started and I made the trip up the stairs to see where this amazing park began.

When I reached the top of the stairs at the platform that covered Tenth Avenue and saw the most unusual sculpture in the middle of the platform. This unique work called “Untitled” looked like an airplane flying over the platform and come to find out it was based on a drone. The work is the artist’s reaction to Drone warfare the US conducts aboard (Wiki/Artist Bio/NY Times).

Artist Sam Durant is an American born multimedia artist whose works deal with social and cultural issues. He has his BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and a MFA from the California Institute of the Arts.

‘Untitled’ by Artist Sam Durant is atop the Highline

Artist Sam Durant

https://www.samdurant.net/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Durant

Artist Sam Durant talks about his sculpture “Untitled”

I walked the Highline from Tenth Avenue down West 30th Street, enjoying the views of the Hudson River ahead of me and the plantings that adorned the sides of the walk. Being such a beautiful sunny day the walkway park was extremely crowded so I just walked closer to the river to enjoy the breezes and then walked back and people watched. The seats above the Tenth Avenue entrance are the perfect place to work on a tan on a sunny day.

I rounded around West 28th Street again dodging all the construction and the construction workers who had stopped to eat their lunches and spread out all over the sidewalks. The one nice thing is that the area is loaded with breakfast and lunch carts offering all sorts of cuisine. The aromas near the construction sites smell of hot chilis, cumin and curry.

While walking up Eleventh Avenue, I passed the Equinox Hotel at 33 Hudson Yards and was faced with the most colorful and creative mural that looked like it was expressing groups of people and the way they live. You really have to walk around the hotel to see the whole work, but the affect is amazing. I found out later this painting was American artist Elle Street Art called “HYxOffTheWall”.

Elle Street Art explains her mural at the Hudson Yards

She wanted to reflect the neighborhood and the diversity of the City. She really wanted to show the positive part of the heart of New York City.

Artist Elle Street Art in front of her work

The full mural

The mural in detail

https://www.ellestreetart.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ELLEStreetArt/

Elle is a New York based Street/Graffiti artist known for her bold statements. She started out as an illegal graffiti artist and over time has built a reputation as one of the top touring street artists which has led to commercial works seen all over the world (Artist bio).

Next to the hotel in the same courtyard where the rest of the Hudson Yards surrounds is the impressive “Vessel” work, one of the cornerstone designs of the Hudson Yards and a signature building. It sits like an impressive statue in the middle of a group of skyscrapers.

The Vessel was designed by architect Thomas Heatherwick in a honeycomb like structure that consists of sixteen stories, a hundred and fifty-four flights of stairs, twenty-five hundred steps and eighty landings to stop at and observe the view. It is known as TKA (Temporarily Known As) for the structure’s name (Wiki). The structure was opened in 2016 and has recently closed for viewing because of visitor issues.

The Vessel at 20 Hudson Yards

https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/discover/vessel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vessel_(structure)

The Vessel at the holidays.

I walked around the complex to admire the structure and look at its beauty. It has such unusual look to it almost like a puzzle that is opening up to the sky. It looks like it shot up from the ground which is what makes it so unique.

Architect Thomas Heatherwick describing “The Vessel”

After I left the core of the Hudson Yards complex, I visited the 37th Street Food Market for lunch. What I liked about this deli was the outdoor dining tables which are nice to eat at on a sunny day. They are located on the side of the building in a small area of the sidewalk surrounded by plants and lighting. It is a very pleasant place to eat meals.

37th Street Food Market at 478 Tenth Avenue

https://www.restaurantji.com/ny/new-york/37th-street-deli-/

I ordered a Chicken Parmesan Panini that was pretty good. The sandwich was filled with chopped chicken cutlets and topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella. The sandwich was then pressed, and it served with a side of sauce. It was delicious.

The seating area of Food Market in the warmer weather

The Food Market also has a nice selection of groceries and snacks and it’s a big place for the local residents to meet and one of the few places in the neighborhood to get these items until you walk over to Eighth Avenue.

I finished the walk walking around up Eighth Avenue and the Upper Part of the Hudson Yards around West 40th Street revisiting some of the streets I had seen in twilight just a week earlier. They seemed less ominous on a sunny day and did not have the shady characters standing around under the underpasses to the Port Authority. Just watch yourself at night walking around this part of the neighborhood.

As I have said before, the Hudson Yards is a neighborhood in transition, and it will be several years before all of these buildings are finished. The effect will be amazing in that they are building a City within a City and it will change this part of Manhattan in the future.

The Hudson Yards are an amazing place!

New York City just keeps morphing even in the Pandemic years!

Please read my other blogs on walking the Lower Part of the Hudson Yards/West Chelsea:

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Eight-Walking the Borders of the Lower Hudson Yards/West Chelsea:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22870

Day Two Hundred and Thirty-Walking the Avenues of the Lower Hudson Yards/West Chelsea:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/23048

Day Two Hundred and Thirty-Three-Walking the Streets of the Lower Hudson Yards/West Chelsea:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/23130

These will show you the constant changes in the neighborhood.

Places to Eat:

37th Street Food Market

478 Tenth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

(212) 967-5200

https://www.restaurantji.com/ny/new-york/37th-street-deli-/

Open: Sunday 8:30am-12:00pm/Monday-Saturday 8:30am-5:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d23993332-r834203532-37th_Street_Food_Market-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

S & A Gourmet Deli 240 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011

Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New York City, exploring Chelsea, Exploring Hudson Yards, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring the Chelsea Neighborhood in Manhattan, Exploring the Garment District, Historic New York City neighborhoods, Little Shop on Main Street in New York City (LittleShoponMainStreet), My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Sandwich and Deli's for the budget minded, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Don’t miss the delicious sandwiches and meals at S & A Gourmet Deli in Chelsea.

The Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich on a hoagie should not be missed!

Dining on a Shoestring in the New York City area and beyond.

S & A Gourmet Deli

240 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10011

(646) 755-8822

Open: Sunday-Saturday Open 24 hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d23994792-r834392777-S_A_Gourmet_Deli-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

What I love about New York is that one every corner there seems to be a favorite bodega or deli that sells what you need when you need it. Some also just stand out for the quality of the food and the service and selection. S & A Gourmet Deli is one of those places.

A friend and I had just stopped in to buy sandwiches for lunch that we were going to enjoy a few blocks away in Madison Square Park. They had a large selection of sandwiches and wraps, and I decided on Chicken Cordon Bleu hero sandwich ($8.99) with a Coke ($1.99).

The sandwich contained a fresh fried chicken breast topped with Swiss cheese and ham and then broiled for a few minutes…

View original post 196 more words

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Eight Walking the Borders of lower Hudson Yards/West Chelsea from West 34th to West 28th Streets from Ninth to Twelve Avenues April 1st, 2022

Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New York City, Exploring Hudson Yards, Exploring Manhattan, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring NYC Parks, Exploring the Chelsea Neighborhood in Manhattan, Exploring the Entire Length of the Island of Manhattan/Broadway Walk, Exploring the Garment District, Exploring the Hudson Yards, Exploring the Rim of the Island of Manhattan, Historic New York City neighborhoods, Interesting Ice Cream Shops, Little Shop on Main Street in New York City (LittleShoponMainStreet), My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Sandwich and Deli's for the budget minded, Uncategorized, Walking around Manhattan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Well, I finally returned to Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen after an over two-year absence. The last time I had been there as you may have read from my blogs from 2020 was March 8th, 2020, the week before the country shut down before COVID hit New York City. These were the days when we were serving almost a seven hundred people a day (the numbers today are even higher) a hot sit-down meal. Now everything is to go.

I worked in Social Services, and I helped people with their mail, find clothes, get them hair cut vouchers and give them toiletries. They had me running all morning and I was pooped when I was finished. Still, it was nice to feel needed again and it was such a pleasure to see old familiar faces that I had not seen in two years.

When I started the walk of the lower Hudson Yards, I never thought of the neighborhood changes just on this border. You go from the Lower Garment District to Hudson Yards to Chelsea just in a block. The lines are getting blurred thanks to the real estate agents. This area was once solidly Chelsea now it is becoming part of Hudson Yards as the neighborhood is fast developing.

What I did learn from walking the neighborhood was more about the history of The Church of the Holy Apostles. The Church of the Holy Apostles was built between 1845 to 1848 and was designed by architect Minard Lafever with the stained-glass windows designed by William Jay Bolton (Wiki).

The church has always been progressive, and it was rumored to be part of the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. The church had been an extension of the Trinity Church downtown for the working-class people in the area. Now it also runs the second largest Soup Kitchen in the United States. The biggest is in San Francisco (Wiki).

The Church of the Holy Apostles at 296 Ninth Avenue feels like a second home to me

Home

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Holy_Apostles_(Manhattan)

It was also convenient in that it was where I needed to start my walk on the edge of West 28th Street where the church is located right across from Chelsea Park south of the northern section of Hudson Yards and right across from the Lower Garment District (please read my blogs on walking these parts of Manhattan as well).

What I never noticed in the almost 17 years that I have been volunteering at the Soup Kitchen was that it was a park. Chelsea Park is located across the street at the corner of Ninth Avenue and between West 28th and 27th Streets. I had always thought this was part of P.S. 33, the elementary school next door complex. There is a whole separate park behind that corner.

Chelsea Park during the summer months

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/chelsea-park/facilities/playgrounds

Chelsea Park extends all the way to Tenth Avenue with soccer and basketball courts and places for people to not just run but relax under the blanket of trees in the summer. Facing Ninth Avenue in a small courtyard is the statue of the ‘Chelsea Doughboy’.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/chelsea-park

“The Chelsea Doughboy” Memorial (NYCParks.org)

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/chelsea-park/monuments/232

The statute was designed to honor the war veterans of WWI. The term “Doughboy” no one is too sure where it originated. Some think from the fried dough dumplings that the soldiers eat or maybe from the way their uniforms looked which were a little baggy or from the dough clay that they used to clean their uniforms (NYCParks.org).

The statue was designed by artist Philip Martiny.

Artist Philip Martiny

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Martiny

Artist Philip Martiny was a French born American artist who settled in New York when he immigrated here in 1878. He was a contemporary of artist August Saint-Gaudens and known for his decorative styles in the Beaux-Arts fashion. He created many sculptures for buildings in New York City and Washington DC (Wiki).

I walked past Chelsea Park on the way to Tenth Avenue and walked all along the borders of the park. The park is becoming a homeless encampment. I have not seen anything like this since Mayor Guiliani closed Thompkins Square Park in the East Village and then fenced it off to the homeless and renovated it. There were people sleeping all over the place even by the small playground that the kids were playing in. It really is beginning to show the state of the City now. The bathrooms were even locked to the patrons.

The track area was pretty much empty and what was really a shocker is how the neighborhood again changes at the Tenth Avenue border. This part of the neighborhood has gotten extremely expensive that was documented in the documentary “Class Divide” on the changes of the neighborhood due to the Highline.

“Class Divide” by HBO. The sound is muted but you can see it with subtitles

On the other side of Chelsea Park is some of the newest and most expensive real estate in Manhattan, a lot due to the Highline. The Highline is an elevated walkway that starts on West 30th Street and extends to West 19th Street and has in recent years set the tone for this part of the neighborhood.

The Highline Park was created from a remnant of the former New York Central railroad spur that was elevated above the roads below. In 2006, there was a neighborhood effort to save it and create an urban park. Now the 1.45-mile park supplies an elevated greenery above the neighborhood which has created expensive real estate on all sides of the park (Wiki).

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/the-high-line

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line

The Highline Park was designed by James Corner Field Operations, Piet Oudolf and Diller, Scofidio and Renfro.

As I passed the Highline Park, I passed the most unusually designed building at 520 West 28th Street. The building is a residential complex known as the Zaha Hadid Building after the architect who designed it Zaha Hadid. It was one of her only residential complexes that she designed and one of the last buildings she created before her death. The building is designed with curvilinear geometric motifs (Wiki).

520 West 28th Street-The Zaha Hadid Building (Streeteasy.com)

https://streeteasy.com/building/520-west-28th-by-zaha-hadid

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/520_West_28th_Street

https://www.zaha-hadid.com/design/520-west-28th-street/

You will be passing a lot of construction going on by the time you get to Twelve Avenue. Buildings are being renovated and rebuilt and all new buildings are popping up on the edge of this now very trendy neighborhood. What was once dock yards and parking lots is becoming high end office buildings for “Silicon Alley” as the Tech industry is called in New York City.

At the end of the block is Hudson River Park, a strip of green park created on this side of Manhattan under the Bloomberg Administration (God are we now missing those years!). This little strip of park at the end of West 28th Street has some interesting views of Edgewater, NJ. The afternoon I visited the park, there were a few joggers and dog walkers making their way through the park. The strip gets smaller along Twelve Avenue until you walk to about West 42nd Street by the Circle Line boat ride.

As you enter the park, there is a very unusual set of sculptures entitled ‘Two Too Large Tables’ by artists Allan and Ellen Wexler. Two Too Large Tables consists of two elements. Each is constructed of brushed stainless steel and Ipe wood.

One piece has thirteen chairs extended up to become columns that raise sixteen square feet plane seven feet off the ground. In the second piece, the same chairs act as supporters to lift a sixteen square feet plane 30 inches off the ground. The first functions as a shade pavilion, the second as a community table. As people sit, they become part of the sculpture. People sitting together, forming unusual pairings because of the chair groupings (Artist bio).

Two Too Large Tables in Hudson River Park (Artist bio)

http://www.allanwexlerstudio.com/projects/two-too-large-tables-2006

Two Too Large Tables

Artist Allen Wexler

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Wexler

Artist Allen Wexler is an American born artist from Connecticut and studied at Rhode Island School of Design where he received his BFA and BS in Architecture. He studied and earned his MS in Architecture from the Pratt Institute. He is known for his multiple disciplines in art (Wiki).

The trip up Twelve Avenue is less than exciting. There is a tiny strip of park along the river that is mostly behind fencing. On the other side of the street is construction holes and fences from all the planned buildings that will start raising along the avenue.

The one place where there was some action was BLADE Operations at the Hudson River Park where helicopters were flying in. It reminded me of the opening scene of the Peter Bogdanovich film “They All Laughed” that I had just seen at the retrospect of the director’s work at the MoMA.

“They All Laughed” trailer by Peter Bogdanovich is a true Manhattan film

I arrived back at Javits Center by the mid-afternoon. As I rounded West 34th Street at Twelve Avenue and passed the empty Javits Center in front of me like the mythical land of Oz was the Hudson Yards, a series of new office and apartment buildings including an upscale mall. It is just breathtaking when the sun hits all the buildings with its brilliance of the reflection of the sun. It also offers really nice public bathrooms that are open throughout the day.

West 34th Street is in the middle of major construction changes as the Hudson Yards complex spills over to almost Seventh Avenue now as old buildings from the Garment District and over the rail yards are being replaced by shiny new office and apartment complexes bringing in new businesses and residents into what was once a barren area after 5:00pm. The whole look of the neighborhood is changing.

The Hudson Yards development

I walked to Bella Abzug Park, which was being partially renovated at the time and walked through the three sections from block to block. Part of the park is being renovated but the other parts look like they are ready to open in the warmer weather with cafes and seating. The park spreads over three blocks that are fully landscaped.

Bella Abzug Park with the Hudson Yards rising like Oz in the background during the summer months (NYCParks.org). The park was named after famous activist and politician Bella Abzug.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/hudson-park

Politician and Activist Bella Abzug

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Abzug

One thing stuck out as I got to the edge of the park and that was a giant red apple with seating in it. What looks like an elaborate bus stop is a work of art done by artist Felix Marzell. It looks like a place to sit and relax while waiting for the next bus.

‘The Big Apple” by Artist Felix Marzell (Gone as of December 2022)

https://www.nycgovparks.org/art/art928

Artist Felix Marzell

https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Felix-Marzell/9B8CD95D13D0EA9F

Artist Felix Marzell

I was surprised that such a talented artist did not have much written about his early life or schooling, but I can see that he has moved around a lot and has many talents.

Please watch his video (in French) about Industrial Design

As you cross over West 34th Street where bridge covers the highway, there is an interesting piece of art entitled “Art by Ashley”, which is a colorful display on the cement barriers protecting the road. The work was done by New York based artist Ashley-Simone McKenzie. Her works spread to the barriers all around the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel.

“Art by Ashley” by artist Ashely-Simone McKenzie

Artist Ashley-Simone McKenzie

https://www.ashleysimone.art/

The work was created by Queens based artist Ashley-Simone McKenzie who is an educator and multidisciplined in paintings, illustration and animation.

Watch her interview on this interesting piece of art

Her work on the barrier of West 34th Street

I admired the beauty if St. Michael Roman Catholic Church at 424 West 34th Street. I needed to relax and get some time in spiritually during the walk. Seeing all the problems that the City is facing at this time, I needed some time to reflex. It is such a beautiful church inside with the elegant pews and large pipe organ.

The church parish was founded in 1857 and the first building was built between 1861 and finished in 1868. It was destroyed by fire in 1892. A new structure was built but that was torn down in 1904 with the building of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The current structure was designed by architect Napoleon LeBrun & Sons in the Romanesque style using some of the previous buildings artistic details with stonework and the stain glass windows (Wiki).

St. Michael Roman Catholic Church at 424 West 34th Street

The inside of St. Michael’s Church at Sunday Mass

https://stmichaelnyc.org/ (Wiki)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St.Michael(34th_Street,_Manhattan)

Just after you past the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel on West 34th Street is the Webster Apartments, a residence that was created for women who were entering the retail industry. The apartments were created by Charles and Josiah Webster, who were cousins of Rowland Macy, who owned Macy’s Department store.

The apartment house opened in 1923, offering a room, three meals and other amenities that a young woman could need when entering the workforce. Outside the fact that the rates have risen over the years and the apartments updated, the concept has not changed and still caters to women making under $60,000 a year (Atlas Obscura).

The Webster Apartments at 419 West 34th Street

https://www.facebook.com/websterapts/

https://websterapartments.org/

Walking down Ninth Avenue, you can see how the neighborhood is transiting from the former working-class neighborhood and docks to the upscale office and apartment buildings of the Hudson Yards to the west. Little by little the small brownstone buildings are disappearing and being replaced by shiny new glass structures.

Between One Manhattan and Two Manhattan West in the Hudson Yards complex between 389 and 395 Ninth Avenue is the Citrovia display. I was trying to figure out if this was a company display or an artist’s display. There were all sorts of lemons all in the trees and in the gardens. During the summer, these must be an amazing place to sit but between the snow and the winds that sunny day, I just walked through the display.

The Citrovia display at One Manhattan West on Ninth Avenue (Manhattan West Website)-Now Closed in 2022

https://www.manhattanwestnyc.com/citrovia

Citrovia is a fantastic outdoor interactive outdoor installation that transports the visitor to a sprawling citrus garden of whimsical displays, a sitting area with a lemon tree forest and I swear when you walk through the whole thing you can smell fresh lemon (Manhattan West website). It is almost like the ‘Land of Oz” or “Wonderland” with lemon trees and slices all over the place. It is a whimsical journey through the lemon display.

I walked through the Manhattan West complex, and it really dawned on me how the neighborhood has changed so much in the last decade. They took a run-down neighborhood and made it shine with modern buildings housing new tech companies and a series of restaurants, shops and hotels. It is a neighborhood onto itself.

Manhattan West complex (Manhattan West.com)

Homepage

In 2023, when walking down Nineth Avenue outside the complex, I saw the sculpture “Adam and Eve”, added by artist Charles Ray, these sit just outside the building. They just seem to stare at you as your walk by. Across the street from the Manhattan West complex old meets new with the former NYC Post Office, which is now finishing its renovation and is now the Patrick Moynihan Train Station, The James A. Farley building.

The “Adam and Eve” sculptures were added in 2023 by artist Charles Ray

The Charles Ray plaque by the sculptures

Artist Charles Ray

https://www.charlesraysculpture.com/

Artist Charles Ray is an American born artist. He studied sculpture at the University of Iowa School of Art and Art History and currently heads the Sculpture Department at UCLA. He is known for his strange and enigmatic sculptures that draw the viewer’s perceptual judgments into question in jarring and unexpected ways (Wiki).

The painting is being displayed inside of Two Manhattan West just inside the building that is very unusual.

The James A. Farley Building was designed by the firm of McKim, Mead & White and was designed in the Beaux Arts style, the sister building to the former Penn Station (where the current Madison Square Garden now sits). The current renovation of the building to turn the dream into a reality is by the architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (Wiki).

I was able to walk the halls and staircases of the complex that afternoon and the interiors are still not finished with a few of the restaurants now opened but the polished floors and new artwork is in full view. The public bathrooms are a nice change from the ones in Penn Station. The rest of the complex will be open by the spring.

The new rendering of the James A. Farley Building to the Patrick Moynihan Train Hall (Vno.com)

https://www.vno.com/office/property/the-farley-building/3313609/landing

James A. Farley

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Farley

The Moynihan Building at night

James A. Farley was a former politician and the former Postmaster General under the FDR Administration.

Daniel Patrick Moynihan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Patrick_Moynihan

Daniel Patrick Moynihan was a former politician and diplomat.

I arrived back at West 28th Street at Holy Apostles by the late afternoon. Everything was closed up for the evening. For the next trip soon. I am now going on my nineteenth-year volunteering at the Soup Kitchen and it’s nice to be part of something that is actually helping the homeless situation in New York City without pandering to everyone.

I had lunch in Chelsea at Lucky Burger at 264 West 23rd Street. I had visited their Hell’s Kitchen restaurant when walking that neighborhood and nothing was lost on the food at this location as well. It was an excellent lunch.

Lucky Burger at 264 West 23rd Street (Closed in June 2023)

https://www.luckysfamousburgers.com/

I had their Chicken Finger Lunch Special which consisted of a large bag of deep-fried chicken fingers, a bag French fries and a Boylan grape soda (See my reviews on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com and TripAdvisor). They give you so much food that I could barely finish it.

The portion size of the Chicken Fingers special is large

They must have given me about a pound of chicken that was nicely breaded and well fried served with a honey mustard and barbecue sauces. They also gave me about a pound of fries. I sweat the meal could have fed two people.

I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around Madison Square Park and then back through familiar neighborhoods that I had visited before. It is amazing how things keep opening and closing in Manhattan.

I am more than halfway done now with the walk of the Island of Manhattan.

Please read my other blogs on walking the Lower Part of the Hudson Yards/West Chelsea:

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Eight-Walking the Borders of the Lower Hudson Yards/West Chelsea:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22870

Day Two Hundred and Thirty-Walking the Avenues of the Lower Hudson Yards/West Chelsea:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/23048

Day Two Hundred and Thirty-Three-Walking the Streets of the Lower Hudson Yards/West Chelsea:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/23130

These will show you the constant changes in the neighborhood.

Places to Eat:

Lucky Burgers

264 West 23rd Street

New York, NY 10011

(212) 242-4900

https://www.luckysfamousburgers.com/

http://www.luckysfamousburgers23rdst.com/

Open: Sunday 11:00am-10:00pm/Monday-Wednesday 11:00am-10:00pm/Thursday-Saturday 11:00am-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d4345188-Reviews-Lucky_s_Famous_Burgers-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/2471

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Four Walking the Streets of the Hudson Yards From West 41st to West 35th Streets from Ninth to Twelve Avenues March 18th, 2022

Cheap Spanish Restaurant for Budget Minded, Chinese Restaurants for the budget minded, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New York City, Exploring Hell's Kitchen/Clinton, Exploring Hudson Yards, Exploring Manhattan, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring NYC Parks, Exploring the Garment District, Exploring the Hudson Yards, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the Rim of the Island of Manhattan, Historic New York City neighborhoods, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Sandwich and Deli's for the budget minded, Uncategorized, Walking around Manhattan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This is one difficult neighborhood to walk around in. Most of the upper part of the neighborhood is covered with unpassable roads and sidewalks leading into the Lincoln Tunnel. And just to remind you that you are entering the tunnel and to be careful, there are plenty of traffic cops from the NYPD watching your every move.

This interesting mural recently appeared right at the entrance of the Lincoln Tunnel at Eleventh Avenue and West 41st Street

Colorful New Hell’s Kitchen Mural Passes Along a Powerful Climate Change Message

The mural was created for the site by “Street Art for Mankind” and depicts a life that is disappearing. The mural was painted by artist Carlos Alberto (West42ndStreet.nyc).

Artist Carlos Alberto

https://www.bookastreetartist.com/carlosalberto-gh

Artist Carlos Alberto is a Mexican street artist, originally from Guadalajara. He is known for his surrealist 3-D large scale works (Artist bio).

Carlos Alberto GH

There are unpassable sidewalks closer to the tunnel that will have them wondering what you are up to. I realized that when I was walking around from West 40th to West 41st by Eleventh Avenue. Be careful.

The Street Art on West 41st Street by Eleventh Avenue

Friday afternoon was one of the nicest days of the week with the sun shining and clear skies. The weather really broke, and I could walk around and catch some sunshine while I was walking. The convention that was going on at the Javits Center was on its last afternoon and there were not a lot of people milling around Eleventh and Twelve Avenues. Closer to West 34th Street it was mostly construction workers attending to the new buildings, tourists and locals shopping at Hudson Yards Mall and taking selfies in the park and people rushing to take the subways. For the most part the rest of the streets were quiet.

The Street Art on West 41st Street is very treacherous to walk

As I said before, Dyer Avenue leads to the entrance of the Lincoln Tunnel to New Jersey starting at the entrance of West 34th Street near the Webster Apartments and when walking down West 35th Street from Twelve Avenue you will see cars whizzing by at crazy speeds who stop suddenly when they realize that they can’t go faster.

Dyer Avenue is right behind the Port Authority and one of the most hazarders parts of the City to walk

Unless you have a reason to walk around this neighborhood in that you live there, this is not the most walkable part of the City. You will be dodging a lot of traffic especially at rush hour and this can start as early as 5:00pm.

Dyer Avenue by West 34th Street you have to watch both ways

I got off to a late start this afternoon after a morning of running errands, so I got into Manhattan at 3:00pm. Since I had wanted to visit the New York Transit Museum at Grand Central Terminal for my blog, VisitingaMuseum.com, first (see link to blog below), I did not start the walk until 4:00pm. I pretty much had the streets to myself, and each street had its own unique aspects.

The New York Transit Museum Gallery at 89 East 42nd Street

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/6925

The gift shop at the museum

Walking down West 35th Street, you have to start the walk along Eleventh Avenue in front of the Javits Center. The center pretty much was quiet that afternoon with mostly security wrapping up whatever convention finished that day. Bella Abzug Park was still being finished in some parts of the neighborhood and the construction workers were taking a break in groups when I walked around the park.

Bella Abzug Park is still not totally finished but has become a meeting place for residents, tourists and workers for this area and has some interesting playgrounds for kids and plantings with seating for everyone else to sit and relax. It is one of the only green areas in the neighborhood.

The Bella Abzug Park, which was being finished at the time, I walked through the three sections from block to block. Part of the park is being renovated but the other parts look like they are ready to open in the warmer weather with cafes and seating. The park spreads over three blocks that are fully landscaped.

Bella Abzug Park with the Hudson Yards rising like Oz in the background during the summer months (NYCParks.org). The park was named after famous activist and politician Bella Abzug.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/hudson-park

Politician and Activist Bella Abzug

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Abzug

Mostly still under construction, Hudson Yards buildings are still rising and not yet finished so there are cars and trucks and scaffolding everywhere so be careful when you are walking around the streets of the complex. It is rising like the magically land of Oz and when Hudson Yards is finished, it is going to be quite a site. A series of office buildings and apartments with a beautiful shopping complex that will rival anything in Midtown.

Be careful though as you are walking towards Ninth Avenue as this is the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel entry ramps and the traffic is crazy all day long and the drivers are not watching what they are doing most of the time.

The McKenzie works at West 35th Street

The McKenzie works with Midtown in the back at West 35th Street

Walking back from Ninth Avenue I came across a tiny park behind a fence and was able to peer inside this small playground. ‘Bob’s Park’ is a tiny spot of refuge on this busy street with a small fenced in playground and park. The park was developed by the Clinton Housing Development Company (Clinton Housing Development Company).

Bob’s Park next to 454 West 35th Street

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=175353

https://www.clintonhousing.org/what-we-do/building-profile.php?id=77

The park is named after Robert Kennedy, a third-generation resident of the community who was very active in the neighborhood affairs. The park is located next to 454 West 35th Street where his grandmother lived. The park is very popular with the neighborhood (HMDB.org).

Bob’s Park at 454 West 35th Street

Right down the block is the Nero Wolfe Plaque, based on the mythical private detective Nero Wolfe by author Rex Stout. The mythical author’s home was supposed to be located on West 35th Street near Ninth Avenue and in the middle by the Hudson River (The Wolfe Pack).

The Nero Wolfe Plaque at 454 West 35th Street

https://www.nerowolfe.org/htm/about_us/454_W_35.htm

The plaque on the building at 454 West 35th Street

All along the cement barriers that lead to the Lincoln Tunnel from West 34th through West 36th Streets is the colorful and creative art of artist Ashley-Simone McKenzie. This really is the bright spot of being stuck in traffic as you enter the tunnel.

The McKenzie work at Dyer Avenue leading to the Lincoln Tunnel

Where bridge covers the highway and down Dryer Avenue, there is an interesting art entitled “Art by Ashley”, which is a colorful display on the cement barriers protecting the road. The work was done by New York based artist Ashley-Simone McKenzie.

“Art by Ashley” by artist Ashely-Simone McKenzie

Across the street:

https://www.ashleysimone.art/

The work was created by Queens based artist Ashley-Simone McKenzie who is an educator and multidisciplined in paintings, illustration and animation.

Watch her interview on this interesting piece of art

Rounding the corner at West 36th Street, you will pass the main artery of the Lincoln Tunnel so be very careful but like many blocks there is a little gem of a park as you get closer to Ninth Avenue.

The McKenzie Works at West 36th Street

The works are very colorful and dominate the cement barriers

The Metropolitan Community Church at 446 West 36th Street has the most unusual painting above the entrance way.

The Metropolitan Community Church at 446 West 36th Street

https://www.facebook.com/MCCNY/

The beautiful heart painting outside the church welcomes the people here. I could not see the signature that well to see who painted it.

I walked down West 36th Street to Ninth Avenue to a small park that I passed when walking the borders of the Garment District a few months earlier. This little park called “The Canoe” Plaza is part of the Hudson Yards/Hell’s Kitchen Alliance and is at the corner of Ninth Avenue and West 37th Street. This was the creation of the design team of Design Wild and was convert the block to a flowery heaven right at the entrance of the Lincoln Tunnel (Hudson Yards Alliance/Design Wild).

The Canoe Plaza designed by Design Wild

“Ascension” in the Summer of 2023

http://www.designwildny.com/canoe-plaza

https://www.hyhkalliance.org/about-the-bid

The unique statue that graces the garden is by artist Jordan Baker- Caldwell called “Ascension”.

“Ascension” by Artist Jordan Baker-Caldwell

Ascension

Jordan Baker-Caldwell is an American born artist from New York City and is the youngest artist in the history of New York to have a permanent public sculpture. The artist’s work has been noted as evoking questions about gravity, structure, balance and the human body in relation to space (Artist’s bio).

Please watch the video of the artist describing his work in the park

https://m.facebook.com/mrjordanbc/posts

This little park defines how small spaces are being used in Manhattan for the pleasure of the residents of that neighborhood. It shows what a little creativity can create in a tiny area right next to an extremely street.

West 37th Street was mostly dodging cars as the afternoon got busier and the traffic around the arteries to the tunnel got busier. I have noticed that people have gone back to honing their horns for no reason again. That had disappeared for almost twenty years. Probably the result of COVID frustration.

When walking down West 38th Street, you will be walking over an elevated walkway over all the entrances to the tunnel. In the midst of all the building and the new neighborhood rising around it, is the firehouse Engine 34/ Ladder 21 which sits like a holdover to another era of the neighborhood. Its solid brick building is surrounded by the encroaching Hudson Yards development with its shiny towers and office complexes that it protects. Here is a section of the City that has changed night and day in twenty-five years.

Ladder 21 was founded in 1890 and when the Lincoln Tunnel was built the original building was knocked down and the new building with Engine 34 was built in 1939. It is one of the busiest houses in Manhattan (9/11 Lesson). I stopped to admire the memorial that the house created in honor of the members lost on 9/11. As a fellow fire fighter, it really touched me.

Engine 34/Ladder 21 at 440 West 38th Street

https://nyfd.com/manhattan_ladders/ladder_21_history.html

http://wikimapia.org/21954112/FDNY-Engine-34-Ladder-21

A reflection of 9/11 from Engine 34/Ladder 21

At the corner of West 38th Street and Twelfth Avenue is a colorful mural appeared that I never saw before. Either that or I just missed it when I was walking the last time I was in the neighborhood. It was at the back of a building facing the Javits Center at 555 West 38th Street.

The new mural at 555 West 38th Street is very impressive and makes a powerful statement. I could not see who the artist was from the painting.

Watch where you are walking when travelling down West 39th Street from Ninth to Twelve Avenues because like the rest of the neighborhood, the roads got busier during the rush hour. It got harder to walk around this part of the neighborhood.

One small patch of green is located in the neighborhood surprisingly is Astro’s Dog Run, a tiny little park that is members only near the entrance of the Lincoln Tunnel at Tenth Avenue and West 39th Street. This tiny stretch of property offers a safe place for neighborhood pooches and their masters a place to stretch out and run around.

The Astro Community Dog Run

https://www.astrosdogrun.com/apply

Years ago, I have known it as a Community Garden, but things change over the years. Still, it is one of the only patches of green in this part of the neighborhood and a gathering place for dog lovers from the community. They have extended the green down the block as well.

The Astro Community Dog Run at West 39th Street was a community garden at one time

http://astrosdogrun.com/

The inside of the Astro Community Dog Run

https://m.facebook.com/ManhattanBoard4/posts/3999500046801880

Be careful when walking under Dyer Avenue at the West 40th Street overpass as there were some not too legal activities going on under the streets after dark. Just walk fast and ignore everyone. Be careful when crossing the street as traffic is coming in all directions. Walking down the street towards Twelve Avenue, there are parts of the sidewalk you will not be able walk. That and the traffic cops will stop you from walk around the street. There are cars everywhere.

The most interesting part of walking down West 41st Street is the St. Raphel’s Catholic Church Croatian Parish at 502 West 41st Street. The church is the last of the holdovers of the old neighborhood as the area quickly changes around it.

St. Raphael’s Catholic Church Croation Parish at 502 West 41st Street

https://www.croatianchurchnewyork.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/74380157302/

St. Raphel’s Catholic Church was founded in 1886 and the church started construction in 1901. The church was designed by architect George H. Streeton in the French Gothic style. The church has been the seat of the Croatian parish since 1974 and services are performed in both English and Croatian Wiki).

The church is one of the most beautiful buildings left as a reminder of this neighborhood is reinventing itself for the modern era. Detailed and gorgeous architecture like this is a testament to a time when craftsmanship was part of the building process and that these buildings were meant to last. Take time to admire the detail work from across the street.

I spent the last part of the afternoon as I finished my walk watching the traffic cops’ direct traffic out of Manhattan and back to New Jersey. It fascinated me that all the years that I have come in and out of the City, I never walked around the very neighborhood that houses the building that thousands of New Jerseyan’s travel through everyday. Now that I have walked all around it, I will look at it differently every time I travel in and out of the Manhattan knowing all its secrets. It is a unique neighborhood that will keep changing over the next ten years.

I stopped at 9th Avenue Gourmet Deli at 480 Ninth Avenue for a sandwich (See my review on TripAdvisor) that evening. The food here is wonderful and very reasonable. I had one of their Chicken Salad Club Sandwiches ($10.95) and it was delicious. Layers of chunky chicken salad with crisp bacon on toasted bread hit the spot after a long walk around the neighborhood.

9th Avenue Gourmet Deli at 480 Ninth Avenue should not be missed

https://m.facebook.com/115798258443108

https://menupages.com/9th-ave-gourmet-deli/480-9th-ave-new-york

The Chicken Salad Sandwich here is excellent

I watched from the window bar seat six police cars stop right outside the window. I thought they saw what I saw under the overpass, but it was just another drunk person causing problems.

The Hudson Yards on a nice day

That’s New York City for you. Always jumping!

Please read my other Blogs on walking Hudson Yards:

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-One-Walking the Borders of the Hudson Yards:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22253

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Three-Walking the Avenues of the Hudson Yards:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22609

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Four-Walking the Streets of Hudson Yards:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22698

Places to Eat:

9th Avenue Gourmet Deli

480 Ninth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

(212) 695-6204

https://m.facebook.com/115798258443108

Open: Sunday-Saturday 24 hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d4758581-Reviews-9th_Ave_Deli_Corp-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

9th Avenue Deli (Formerly AM-PM Deli) 480 9th Avenue@37th Street New York, NY 10018

Places to Visit:

Bella Abzug Park

542 West 36th Street

New York, NY 10018

(212) 239-1619

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/hudson-park

Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d19593720-Reviews-Bella_Abzug_Park-New_York_City_New_York.html

New York Transit Museum Gallery

89 East 42nd Street

New York, NY 10001

(212) 878-0106

https://www.facebook.com/nytransitmuseum/

Open: Sunday-Tuesday Closed/Wednesday-Friday 11:30am-6:00pm/Saturday Closed

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d9873833-Reviews-New_York_Transit_Museum-New_York_City_New_York.html

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/6925

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Three Walking the Avenues of Hudson Yards from Eleventh to Tenth Avenues from West 42nd to West 34th Streets March 15th, 2022

Chinese Restaurants for the budget minded, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New York City, exploring Chelsea, Exploring Hudson Yards, Exploring Manhattan, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Chelsea Neighborhood in Manhattan, Exploring the Garment District, Exploring the Hudson Yards, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the Rim of the Island of Manhattan, Historic New York City neighborhoods, Little Shop on Main Street in New York City (LittleShoponMainStreet), My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New York City, Walking around Manhattan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Daylight Savings time has finally arrived and the warm weather and sunshine have come with it. The nice weather has finally broke and it was 63 degrees today. For some reason it felt like a Saturday with so many people walking around outside and not looking like anyone was in the office.

I got into Hudson Yards by the early afternoon and it was a quick walk being that the neighborhood is in a complete state of flux. Most of the blocks along Eleventh and Tenth Avenues are being knocked down and rebuilt. Old parking garages, stables and car repair businesses are slowly being closed and shiny new office and apartment towers are springing up all over the neighborhood.

When walking down Eleventh Avenue from West 42nd to West 34th Streets every lock facing the Javits Center was like this. The old parking lots and garages have been knocked down and cleared away. All these new dark colored glass buildings are starting to replace them and change the context of the area. This had always been a shipping area with the piers, but the piers now are used for recreation.

The Jacob Javits Center at 655 West 34th Street

https://javitscenter.com/

The Javits Center pretty much casts its shadow along the entire part of Eleventh Avenue on one side of the road and a mix of buildings rising from the other. It will be interesting to see what happens in about five years when the entire area is built out. Pretty much everything in-between Eleventh and Tenth Avenues looks like it will change.

I had just visited the Javits Center for the International Restuarant Show the week before and the day I passed it they were having the Cosmetologists convention that was just letting out. The facility can be all encompassing when it is full and empty when the show is small like the Restaurant Show was this year.

My blog on walking the International Restaurant Show-Day One Hundred and Thirty-Three:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/8712

The New York Restaurant Show

Tenth Avenue has a few traces of the old neighborhood in the way of tenement brownstones here and there along the avenue but again I do not think it will last with the real estate in this area in such high demand. Some of the old brownstones are currently housing delis and bars that cater to the new techies that are dominating the area. It seemed like such a young crowd of people milling around that afternoon. Again, I think people are still working from home and come out on a break to have lunch and enjoy the sunshine.

You really have to dodge the construction sites along Tenth Avenue until you reach about West 35th Street where most of the buildings have been completed. There are new hotels and a wonderful luxury mall on the southern part of West 35th Street with all sorts of wonderful stores and restaurants to explore. The best attribute is the clean public bathrooms on the second floor which is nice when you are visiting the neighborhood.

The Hudson Yards in its glory

One small patch of green is located in the neighborhood surprisingly is Astro’s Dog Run, a tiny little park that is members only near the entrance of the Lincoln Tunnel at Tenth Avenue and West 39th Street. This tiny stretch of property offers a safe place for neighborhood pooches and their masters a place to stretch out and run around. Years ago, I have known it as a Community Garden, but things change over the years.

The Astro Dog Run at West 39th Street was a community garden at one time

http://astrosdogrun.com/

https://m.facebook.com/ManhattanBoard4/posts/3999500046801880

The scariest part of the walk is walking on both parts of Dyer Avenue which has all the entrance and exit roads to the Lincoln Tunnel. There is no way to cross the complete street and please don’t attempt to go any further than the side walks. The traffic cops at the West 34th Street entrance gave me the strangest looks as I started walking down it having to stop and walk back at the West 36th entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel with its large amount of traffic early in the afternoon.

It was the same when walking down Dyer Avenue from the West 42nd Street entrance. You can only walk down to West 39th Street before you have to turn around. I do know that the drivers will give you a very mean stare as they see you walking around as they speed by honking. This part of the neighborhood is not for walking purposes and if you like to see the underside of a road or bridge, this is the experience for you.

The McKenzie Paintings on the concrete barriers at Dyer Avenue leading into the Lincoln Tunnel

“Art by Ashley” by artist Ashely-Simone McKenzie

https://www.ashleysimone.art/

The work was created by Queens based artist Ashley-Simone McKenzie who is an educator and multidisciplined in paintings, illustration and animation.

Watch her interview on this interesting piece of art

I finished this part of the walk in the neighborhood in less than two hours, so it gave me a chance to walk around the new Hudson Yards Mall and check out all the shops. There is a nice selection of stores that I think will eventually settle in and cater more to the neighborhoods needs instead of such expensive stores such as Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels. This is nice for the tourists but right now with the exception of the weekends, all these stores seemed very quiet to me. It’s a pretty mall but with the closing of the Neiman Marcus, I think the mall owner has misread the neighborhood at least for now.

The Hudson Yards in all its glory

When the entire neighborhood is built out and inhabited by more people and everyone is back to work in their offices in Manhattan, I think the mall will be a huge success not just on the weekends.

For lunch that afternoon, I went back to a favorite Dim Sum restaurant in closer to Macy’s on West 35th Street Stick to My Pot Potstickers at 224 West 35th Street. This tiny little Chinese restaurant has a small bar area to sit down and the most amazing smells when you enter the restaurant of pork dumplings sizzling in the wok.

Stick to my Pot Potstickers at 224 West 35th Street

https://www.instagram.com/sticktomypot_potstickers/?hl=en

I had the Classic four Pork and Chive Dumplings pan-fried which I believe are freshly made to order. I also had an order of their delicious Spring Rolls (two per order) that were lightly fried and crisp on the outside with crunchy vegetables on the inside. For dessert, they added a new item to the menu, a Cake Mochi.

The dumplings at Stick to My Pot Potstickers at 224 West 35th Street

https://www.facebook.com/sticktomypot/

menu

This delightful little cake made with a fresh batter per order was filled with crushed pineapple in the middle so that it was chewy and crisp on the outside and sweet and moist on the inside. A wonderful addition to the menu and a great way to end the meal.

Finishing the neighborhood early, I had a chance to just walk around Midtown and enjoy the sunshine and look at all the changes with the addition of new restaurants and shops in the Garment District. I don’t see New York City as dying or rotten to the core as some naysayers will say. I see a City that is transitioning again in the hopefully Post-COVID period and adapting to the changes in the make-up of the City until the office workers and tourists return.

With the warmer weather coming and a few more smiles on people’s faces, I hope we are seeing a light at the end of this two-year dark tunnel.

Please read my other Blogs on walking Hudson Yards:

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-One-Walking the Borders of the Hudson Yards:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22253

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Three-Walking the Avenues of the Hudson Yards:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22609

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Four-Walking the Streets of Hudson Yards:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22698

Places to Eat:

Stick to my Pot Potstickers

224 West 35th Street

New York, NY 10001

(646) 822-2003

Home.s
menu

https://www.facebook.com/sticktomypot/

Open: Sunday 11:00am-7:00pm/Monday-Friday 11:00am-8:00pm/Saturday 11:00am-7:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d16882048-Reviews-Stick_To_My_Pot_Potstickers-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/2017

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-One: Walking the Borders of the Hudson Yards from Ninth to Twelve Avenues from West 42nd to West 34th Streets February 26, 2022

Bakeries for the budget minded, Cheap Spanish Restaurant for Budget Minded, Chinese Restaurants for the budget minded, Dedication to Warren Watrel, Dining on a Shoe String Restaurants in New York City, Exploring Manhattan, Exploring Manhattan Block by Block, Exploring New York City, Exploring New York City by foot, Exploring the Chelsea Neighborhood in Manhattan, Exploring the Entire Length of the Island of Manhattan/Broadway Walk, Exploring the Garment District, Exploring the Hudson Yards, Exploring the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the Rim of the Island of Manhattan, Exploring the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Historic New York City neighborhoods, Interesting Flower Shops in Manhattan, My walk in Manhattan (MywalkinManhattan.com), Pizzeria's and Italian Restaurants for the budget-minded, Sandwich and Deli's for the budget minded, Spanish Restaurants for the budget minded, The Great Saunter Walk-The Entire Manhattan, Uncategorized, Visiting a Museum in New York City, Walking around Manhattan, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

After two days of miserable weather and freezing rain, the storm finally passed, and we had blue skies and sunny weather all day. It was still cold at 38 degrees, but it felt warmer in the sun. Manhattan really does sparkle when the sun is out.

I started my afternoon with a trip up to Blondies Sports Bar at 212 West 79th Street on the Upper West Side. I swear just trying to catch a subway is next to impossible with all the work that is going on with the tracks. I got to the bar in time to watch the last two minutes of the Michigan State versus Purdue game that had started at noon. I thought the game would go on for more time but there we were with 1:15 minutes left and we were ahead by two points. Talk about a nail biter.

We sealed the game with a three-point shot and won the game with 34 seconds left. The time did run out and we won the game at home 68-65. Too close for comfort but still an exciting win for us. This means we have a good shot at making the NCAA tournament. The Alumni that were there were going nuts. It was an exciting end of the game.

Highlights from the Purdue versus Michigan State Game We won 68-65!

After the game was over, I decided that it was such a nice day that I would walk back to the Hudson Yards to start my walk. Still, I needed a snack, so I made a detour when walked through the Upper West Side to Epices Bakery at 104 West 70th Street which is right next door to Icon Style by Lara Kornbluh 104 West 70th Street, an exquisite jewelry store that I have visited many times.

Epices Bakery is like a little bit of Paris on the Upper West Side. This wonderful little French bakery has the most delicious pastries and savories. They had just taken the most wonderful looking Broccoli and Cheese Quiche out of the oven and put them into the cases, but I had my eye on the Ham and Cheese Croissant ($5.50), that was loaded with Gruyere Cheese and chopped ham that was baked onto the top. I could taste the sharp cheese with the buttery dough and how the filling oozed out with each bite.

Epices Bakery at 104 West 70th Street

https://www.instagram.com/epicesbakery/?hl=en

For dessert, I had the Paris Brest ($6.00), a type of puff pastry that was filled with a Hazel Nut cream filling. It was delicious but suffered from too much refrigeration. The cream center was a little hard.

I took my purchases and ate them by the benches across from Lincoln Center. I could see in the corner of my eye that the birds were eyeing every crumb that I dropped and they did not wait for me to leave. I never saw so many birds in this City that have such good taste in pastries.

I walked down Columbus Avenue from the Upper West Side until it hit Ninth Avenue at West 57th Street and continued until I got to West 42nd Street and then walked around to Eighth Avenue and then walked the length of West 34th Street, visiting parks and artwork that I had seen last summer when I finished the Hell’s Kitchen/Clinton neighborhood that borders north of the Hudson Yards.

The Hudson Yards neighborhood like the rest of the areas around West 42nd Street are changing fast with new construction of office and apartment buildings. The area around Twelve Avenue on West 42nd Street is now built up with gleaming new apartment buildings with all sorts of new amenities or so their signs say as you pass them.

I reached the end of West 42nd Street to see the Hudson River gleaming in front of me and the Circle Line Cruise Line at 83 North River Piers sitting idle waiting for the weather to get nice enough again for the cruises around the island to start up again. Pier 84 where the boats are located was really quiet with the exception of a few joggers.

This is where I had spent my birthday cruising around Manhattan for my birthday in 2019 and when it cleared by the time we got to Inwood in the most northern part of the island, the weather broke, and it was the most breathtaking trip around the island.

My blog on the Circle Line Cruise for my birthday:

My blog from “Day One Hundred and Forty Seven: Cruising around Manhattan on the Circle Line”:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/10649

It was also the site of the first time I did “The Great Saunter Walk” walk around the perimeter of Manhattan in May 2020 as the City was just reopening from the clutches of COVID. It is the starting point for so many of my projects.

My blog from “Day One Hundred and Sixty-Seven: The Great Saunter Walk”:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/13811

When I walked down West 42nd Street, I revisited many of the buildings and outside art pieces that I had admired before. The buildings River Place at 650 West 42nd Street and Silver Towers at 620 West 42nd Street gleamed in the sunlight as I passed them. These large apartment complexes do break up the once warehouses and office buildings that had dominated the area since WWII. It really shows that a City can reinvent itself in a fifty year period.

What stood out to me was right smack in the middle of these two complexes and that was Tom Otterness Playground at 630 West 42nd Street. This space of green reminded me of the creativity in playground design that I had seen earlier in Waterline Square Park. Combining small space with creative design to produce a whimsical park for families. It was such a nicely landscaped park and a relief from the heat. I loved the beautiful and artsy playground which is a testament to Tom Otterness’s approach to playground design.

Tom Otterness Playground jungle gym structure is whimsical

Artist Tom Otterness

http://www.tomotterness.net/

Tom Otterness is an American artist who studied at the Art Student League in New York. His work is known as ‘whimsical and fun’ but also sends a message and tells a story. I just hope that one day he sells this creative playground equipment commercially as I can see this as an addition to many people’s backyard.

Please watch the video on Tom Otterness

The Silver Towers is a twin residential set of towers that stand tall in the neighborhood and set the tone for the new residential section of this side of the West Side. Their brilliance in design and reception of sun light is interesting. The buildings were designed by architect Costas Kondylis and were finished in 2009.

Silver Towers at 620 West 42nd Street

https://silvertowers.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Towers

Just a little further and across the street is the sculpture of an unusual polka dot pumpkin in the front of the Sky Building at 605 West 42nd Street by artist Yayoi Kusama. The sculpture sits in front of this elegant glass residential tower in the ever changing neighborhood by the Hudson River. The Sky is a mixed use luxury residential building that was designed by architectural firm Goldstein, Hill & West and was completed in 2016 (Wiki/Moinian Group).

Sky Building

The Sky at 605 West 42nd Street

https://www.moinian.com/sky

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_(skyscraper)

The polka dot pumpkin in front of The Sky building is by artist Yayoi Kusama is fun and interesting

Yayoi Kusama artist

Artist Yayoi Kusama

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yayoi_Kusama

http://yayoi-kusama.jp/e/information/

Artist Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese born artist who studied at the Kyoto School of Arts & Crafts and is known for her installments and sculptures but also works in film, performance art and fashion among other mediums and is known for influence in ‘Pop Art’ (Wiki/Artist Bio).

Please watch the video of Yayoi Kusama

When you are making your way down Twelve Avenue, there is not much to see. You see the coastline of New Jersey and many idle boats in the distance. I do not think most of the cruises will reopen until the end of May so there are not too many people walking around this area.

Walking down Twelve Avenue from the street side going south is dominated by the enormous Jacob Javits Center Conventional Hall which covers from West 40th Street at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel (my lifeline travel home after a long day) and West 34th Street where the border of the neighborhood turns. I have been to the Javits Center many times for the Hotel/Motel Shows, The Restaurant Shows and the Fancy Food Shows. I have seen the most amazing equipment and tasted the most wonderful foods at these shows. I share my trips to the Jacob Javits Center over the years:

Javits Center at 429 Eleventh Avenue

https://javitscenter.com/

My blogs on the Hotel/Motel Show at the Javits Center:

Day Twenty-Three:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/221

My blogs on the Restaurant Show at the Javits Center:

Day One Hundred and Thirty-Three:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/12766

Day Seventy:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/3933

Day Thirty-Nine:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/1220

My blogs on the Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center:

Day One Hundred and Forty-One:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/9543

Day Three-Five:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/28

When I returned to walk along the coast line of Twelve Avenue I could not believe that I missed some things on my travels on The Great Saunter Walk. I must have been tired or else the area had not been open at the time.

When travelling past Pier 81 I encountered the most interesting sculpture that had been behind a link fence. It was further in towards the building and the work “Senes” by artist William Crovello really stood out for its twists and turns in stainless steel.

“Senes” by Artist George Crovello is at Pier 81

Senes from one angle

https://www.askart.com/artist/William_George_Crovello/128287/William_George_Crovello.aspx

Senes from another angle

Artist William George Crovello is an American born artist who works in New York City. He is known for his Post War Geometric and Contemporary sculptures and public art.

I passed Pier 76 next, and I came across the Propeller from the SS United States. Originally opened in 1964, Pier 76 served as a freighter terminal for United States Lines and was leased from the Department of Marine and Aviation until the 1970’s (SS United States Conservatory).

The Propeller of the S.S. United States

The historical sign

https://www.ssusc.org/news/ss-united-states-propeller-now-the-centerpiece-of-nyc-pier-76

Pier 76

During her service career, the SS United States, which was docked just up the river at Pier 86 for much of its service career was fitted with four propellers, two four-bladed and two five-bladed. All the propellers were manufactured from manganese bronze, and each weighed an astounding 60,000 pounds (SS United States Conservatory).

As I passed the piers, most were behind fences awaiting the warmer months when tourists will visit the boats docked here and have dinner or tour the Hudson River line. For now, the piers were really quiet.

As I rounded West 34th Street at Twelve Avenue and passed the empty Javits Center in front of me like the mythical land of Oz was the Hudson Yards, a series of new office and apartment buildings including an upscale mall. It is just breathtaking when the sun hits all the buildings with its brilliance of the reflection of the sun. It also offers really nice public bathrooms that are open throughout the day.

West 34th Street is in the middle of major construction changes as the Hudson Yards complex spills over to almost Seventh Avenue now as old buildings from the Garment District and over the rail yards are being replaced by shiny new office and apartment complexes bringing in new businesses and residents into what was once a barren area after 5:00pm. The whole look of the neighborhood is changing.

The Hudson Yards development

I walked to Bella Abzug Park, which was being partially renovated at the time and walked through the three sections from block to block. Part of the park is being renovated but the other parts look like they are ready to open in the warmer weather with cafes and seating. The park spreads over three blocks that are fully landscaped.

Bella Abzug Park with the Hudson Yards rising like Oz in the background during the summer months (NYCParks.org). The park was named after famous activist and politician Bella Abzug.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/hudson-park

Politician and Activist Bella Abzug

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Abzug

One thing stuck out as I got to the edge of the park and that was a giant red apple with seating in it. What looks like an elaborate bus stop is a work of art done by artist Felix Marzell. It looks like a place to sit and relax while waiting for the next bus.

‘The Big Apple” by Artist Felix Marzell (no longer in this spot as of 2023)

https://www.nycgovparks.org/art/art928

Artist Felix Marzell

https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Felix-Marzell/9B8CD95D13D0EA9F

Artist Felix Marzell

I was surprised that such a talented artist did not have much written about his early life or schooling, but I can see that he has moved around a lot and has many talents.

Please watch his video (in French) about Industrial Design

As you cross over West 34th Street where bridge covers the highway, there is an interesting piece of art entitled “Art by Ashley”, which is a colorful display on the cement barriers protecting the road. The work was done by New York based artist Ashley-Simone McKenzie.

“Art by Ashley” by artist Ashely-Simone McKenzie

https://www.ashleysimone.art/

The work was created by Queens based artist Ashley-Simone McKenzie who is an educator and multidisciplined in paintings, illustration and animation.

Watch her interview on this interesting piece of art

Her work on the barriers on West 34th Street

I admired the beauty if St. Michael Roman Catholic Church at 424 West 34th Street. I needed to relax and get some time in spiritually during the walk. Seeing all the problems that the City is facing at this time, I needed some time to reflex. It is such a beautiful church inside with the elegant pews and large pipe organ.

The church parish was founded in 1857 and the first building was built between 1861 and finished in 1868. It was destroyed by fire in 1892. A new structure was built but that was torn down in 1904 with the building of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The current structure was designed by architect Napoleon LeBrun & Sons in the Romanesque style using some of the previous buildings artistic details with stonework and the stain glass windows (Wiki).

https://stmichaelnyc.org/ (Wiki)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St.Michael(34th_Street,_Manhattan)

Just after you past the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel on West 34th Street is the Webster Apartments, a residence that was created for women who were entering the retail industry. The apartments were created by Charles and Josiah Webster, who were cousins of Rowland Macy, who owned Macy’s Department store.

The apartment house opened in 1923, offering a room, three meals and other amenities that a young woman could need when entering the workforce. Outside the fact that the rates have risen over the years and the apartments updated, the concept has not changed and still caters to women making under $60,000 a year (Atlas Obscura).

The Webster Apartments at 419 West 34th Street

https://www.facebook.com/websterapts/

https://websterapartments.org/

As you turn the corner of West 34th Street to Ninth Avenue, you see the contrasts of the ‘new’ New York City and its ethnic past with all the brownstones and mom and pop stores and restaurants. Here you see the true character of ‘old New York’. Still from block to block on the left side of Ninth Avenue as you walk up to West 42nd Street, the Hudson Yards still has extended to this part of the neighborhood.

At the Hudson Crossing Apartments at 414 Ninth Avenue, there is a very interesting statue by Gillie and Marc entitled ” They were the last”, which has three rhinoceroses stacked one on top of another. This was created to bring awareness to conservation and end rhino trafficking (Artist bio).

https://www.facebook.com/gillieandmarc

Artists Marc and Gillie Schattner

Please watch the video on their artwork and their love of art

The couple have an interesting background with no formal art training with Marc being a graphic artist and working for an advertising agency and Gillie being a former model. The couple is known for their large public artworks. Their works are known for their emphasis on the importance on togetherness and the respect for the natural world (Artist website).

What I have always liked about Ninth Avenue near Midtown is the character of the neighborhood. There are still old tenements and brownstones along the Avenue from 42nd Street down into Chelsea. Here and there old restaurant and provision shops sit alongside newer delis and retail shops that show the change in the make-up of the neighborhood. Still with the rezoning of the area I am not too sure how long this will last.

Ninth Avenue not only offers an array of many interesting ethnic businesses but many reasonable and interesting delis, take-out places and restaurants that won’t break the budget. Many of the dining establishments featured on my DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com site is found in the Garment District on its borders and streets that will save you money and the food is wonderful.

As I passed all the restaurants on the other side of the street, I walked up Ninth Avenue to a small park that I never really noticed before. At least that it was a park. This little park called “The Canoe” Plaza is part of the Hudson Yards/Hell’s Kitchen Alliance and is at the corner of Ninth Avenue and West 37th Street. This was the creation of the design team of Design Wild and was convert the block to a flowery heaven right at the entrance of the Lincoln Tunnel (Hudson Yards Alliance/Design Wild).

The Canoe Plaza designed by Design Wild

http://www.designwildny.com/canoe-plaza

https://www.hyhkalliance.org/about-the-bid

The unique statue that graces the garden is by artist Jordan Baker- Caldwell called “Ascension”.

“Ascension” by Artist Jordan Baker-Caldwell

Ascension

Jordan Baker-Caldwell is an American born artist from New York City and is the youngest artist in the history of New York to have a permanent public sculpture. The artist’s work has been noted as evoking questions about gravity, structure, balance and the human body in relation to space (Artist’s bio).

Please watch the video of the artist describing his work in the park

https://m.facebook.com/mrjordanbc/posts

Starting right at the border of the neighborhood right across the street from the Port Authority near West 41st Street is Capprizzi Pizza at 547 Ninth Avenue. Their delicious small pizzas are all homemade down to the sausage made for the toppings. When I ate there a few years ago they were noted for their small pepperoni pizza which was excellent. The service was very friendly and very authentic. It can be pricey though, but the quality is excellent.

Capprizzi Pizza at 547 Ninth Avenue

https://capizzinyc.com/

A block down and across the street from the Port Authority is the original Two Brother Pizza at 542 Ninth Avenue. This place has been around for years and has one of the best $1.00 slices of pizza in Manhattan. This is my ‘go to’ place when I need a quick snack and want something substantial. To my knowledge, it is one of the original dollar slice places in the City.

The restaurant is in a rather shady section of the shadow of the Port Authority. During the day it is okay but the later at night you get it does attract some interesting characters especially if you eat outside on one of the cocktail tables. The pizza is really good and is one of the few dollar pizza places where the pizza tastes like something. Most places I find in the City the pizza is just something to fill you up (it is now $1.50 a slice!).

Two Brothers Pizza at 542 Ninth Avenue

https://www.2brospizzanewyork.com/

Across the street from Two Brothers Pizza and our ‘go to’ place for breakfast during the Christmas holidays was Hell’s Kitchen Deli, a relatively new place to the neighborhood. This is where I ordered Bacon, Egg and Cheese sandwiches. The place is really clean and has a nice selection of snacks and sandwiches.

Hell’s Kitchen Deli at 535 Ninth Avenue has the best breakfast sandwiches

https://www.seamless.com/menu/hells-kitchen-deli-535-9th-ave-new-york/727443

Though most of the housing in this part of the neighborhood is old tenement housing, you can look up from a distance and see some unusual carvings in the buildings. The building at 510-508 Ninth Avenue has some strange faces staring back at you from above. The building was built in 1920 (Apartments.com/StreetEasy.com).

508-510 Ninth Avenue

The detail work of the building

https://www.apartments.com/508-ninth-ave-new-york-ny/z9017ex/

When walking down Ninth Avenue, you will see the signs of the past not just in the architecture but in former restaurants and provision stores that used to line the Avenue. First there is Esposito Meat Market at 500 Ninth Avenue which has been in business since 1932. You can see the selection of meats and different cuts from the window. The one time I walked in you could smell the aroma of the freshly cut meats. The store prides itself on always delivering quality (Esposito Meat Market website).

Esposito Meat Market at 500 Ninth Avenue

http://espositomeatmarket.com/

Years ago, I did an article on Manganaro’s Grosseria Italiano at 488 Ninth Avenue when owner Seline Dell’Orto still owned and worked at the store. The famous Italian provision store closed about ten years ago after years of squabbling, but the sign is still there. It is now Tavolo Restaurant.

Manganaro’s Grosseria Italiano at 488 Ninth Avenue in 2011

Enjoy the article I wrote on Manganaro’s years ago:

https://patch.com/new-jersey/hasbrouckheights/a-trip-to-manganaros-in-chelsea-for-a-great-lunch

One of the places that had inspired my dining site, “DiningonaShoeStringinNYC” is the 9th Avenue Gourmet Deli (Formerly the AM/PM & Juniors Deli) at 480 Ninth Avenue. This amazing little deli has it all, a nice grocery department, cold drinks and wonderful hot and cold food section that never ceases to amaze me.

The 9th Avenue Deli at 480 Ninth Avenue

https://m.facebook.com/115798258443108

The breakfast platters here are heaping with eggs, pancakes and sausage and the sandwich platters fill the take out containers. Everything is freshly cooked and delicious. Their burgers are cooked perfectly and they don’t skimp on the fries. The best part is that they are open 24 hours.

Another great place that I love to stop at is Kashmir 9 at 478 Ninth Avenue. The cuisine of the restaurant is traditional Bangladesh and Pakistani food with all sorts of baked goods and entrees. I have had their Lamb Kebobs, Chicken Patties, Potato Cutlets and the Vegetable Samosas are out of this world.

Kashmir 9 at 478 Ninth Avenue

https://www.facebook.com/kashmire9newyork/

When you walk in the whole restaurant has the wonderful smell of curry and spices with the hustle and bustle of many languages being spoken. There is even a prayer rug in the back section of the restaurant for those on their breaks which I thought was a nice touch for their busy customers.

The kebobs here are delicious

As I turned the corner of the border of the neighborhood at West 34th Street, I saw a familiar restaurant from Christmas time, Golden City Chinese Restaurant at 423 Ninth Avenue. This is where we ordered in our Christmas dinner. I have to admit that their fried rice is really good but the rest of the meal was okay.

While attending the International Restaurant Show in March of 2022, I decided to try the restaurant again and eat in. It was an experience to say the least. I wanted to try the Lemon Chicken combination plate again with Pork Fried Rice and an Egg Roll. The taste of the food was much better, and the portion size was extremely generous but again the food was way too over-cooked.

Golden City Chinese Restaurant at 423 Ninth Avenue

http://www.goldencitynyc.com/

The chicken tasted good, but the battered pieces should have been pulled out about a minute earlier and same with the egg roll. Their pork fried rice is always good. The staff could not be nicer but this time I ate in, and the restaurant could use a bit of a renovation. I will have to try it again in the future.

The Lemon Chicken is good but overcooked

When I walked the neighborhood again for the International Restaurant Show on the weekend of March 6th-8th, 2022, I got to walk inside and around the Javits Center. I could not believe what I had missed (I had not walked the Avenues yet). All the old parking lots and garages that used to be along Eleventh Avenue are now becoming glass towers. I am convinced within the next five years this will all be rebuilt.

My blog on the New York Restaurant Show in 2022 from March 6th-8th, 2022 at the Javits Center:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/8712

This area of the Manhattan is one to watch. The buildings from Ninth to Twelve Avenues are going to continue to shape the southern borders of Midtown Manhattan and change the way we shop and dine in the City.

We need some positive things going on right now in Manhattan. The COVID shutdown is showing its after-effects.

The current status of the Hudson Yards.

Please read my other Blogs on walking Hudson Yards:

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-One-Walking the Borders of the Hudson Yards:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22253

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Three-Walking the Avenues of the Hudson Yards:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22609

Day Two Hundred and Twenty-Four-Walking the Streets of Hudson Yards:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/22698

Places to Eat:

Blondies Sports Bar

212 West 79th Street

New York, NY 10024

(212) 362-3311

http://blondiessportsny.com/

Open: Sunday 12:00pm-11:00pm/Monday-Thursday 3:00pm-11:00pm/Friday and Saturday 12:00pm-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d522509-Reviews-Blondies_Sports_Bar-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Epices Bakery

104 West 70th Street

New York, NY 10023

(646) 692-3226

https://www.instagram.com/epicesbakery/?hl=en

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d23398811-Reviews-Epices_Bakery-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/littleshoponmainstreet.wordpress.com/1566

Golden City Chinese Restaurant

423 Ninth Avenue

New York, NY 10001

(212) 643-9232

http://www.goldencitynyc.com/

Open: Sunday 11:00am-11:00pm/Monday-Friday 10:30am-11:30pm/Saturday 11:00am-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d3930125-Reviews-Golden_City_Chinese_Restaurant-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Capprizzi Pizza

547 Ninth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

(646) 746-5120

https://capizzinyc.com/

Open: Sunday 12:00pm-9:00pm/Monday-Thursday 11:00am-3:30pm-5:00pm-10:00pm/Friday & Saturday 11:00am-3:30pm-5:00pm-11:00pm

My review on Tripadvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d1902953-Reviews-Capizzi-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Two Brothers Pizza

542 Ninth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

(212) 777-0600

https://www.2brospizzanewyork.com/

Open: Sunday 11:00am-12:00pm/Monday-Wednesday 11:00am-1:00am/Thursday-Saturday 11:00am-4:00am

My review on TripAdvisor.com:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d2200990-Reviews-2_Bros_Pizza-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/356

Hell’s Kitchen Deli

535 Ninth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

(212) 629-6570

Open: See Website

My review on TripAdvisor.com:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d15167472-Reviews-Hell_s_Kitchen_Deli-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

9th Avenue Deli Foods (formerly AM-PM Deli)

480 9th Avenue@37th Street

New York, NY  10018

(212) 695-6204

Open: Sunday-Saturday 24 Hours

My reviews on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d15162978-Reviews-AM_PM_Deli_Grocery-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d4758581-Reviews-9th_Ave_Deli_Corp-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/762

Kashmir 9

478 9th Avenue

New York, NY  10018

(212) 736-7745

Open: Sunday-Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm

Free Delivery

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d4519138-Reviews-Kashmir_9-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/1133

Places to Visit:

Bella Abzug Park

532 West 46th Street

New York, NY 10018

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/hudson-park

(212) 239-1619

Open: Sunday-Saturday 6:00am-11:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d19593720-Reviews-Bella_Abzug_Park-New_York_City_New_York.html