Tag Archives: Exploring New York City by foot

Day One Hundred and Forty-Six: Walking the Streets of Midtown East from Lexington to Fifth Avenues from East 59th to East 43rd Streets September 20th-October 4th, 2019 (Again December 21st, 2024)

Walking the streets of Midtown East is very different from all the other neighborhoods that I have walked so far. The character of the neighborhood differs so much in that it is mostly commercial with hotels, specialty shops, office buildings and more residential on the upper parts of the neighborhood than any other part of the City. When you walk down the side streets of Midtown East, you are usually passing a building that stretches from one block to the other with nothing much in between but a loading dock or garage for the employees. Most of the smaller buildings and brownstones have been long knocked down and replaced with large office buildings some of which the character lacks in these giant ‘glass boxes’.

I know in the past few years that New York City has allowed more innovation in building design and there has been more original designs then the original 1980’s ‘glass boxes’ but even now there are a lot of makeovers that are happening all over the neighborhood and you will be dodging scaffolding that I have not seen since my days walking Harlem. From block to block especially as you get closer to Grand Central Station, there are many closed sidewalks and you can only walk on one side of the street.

Grand Central Station sits at the head of this neighborhood

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

With that said, there are still many hidden treasures to find if you just look up and across and they just jump out on you. It is surprising in this ever-changing neighborhood of soaring towers and busy hotels that tucked here and there are public atriums with places to sit and tiny cafes inside them that cater to the busy lunch crowd. Small brownstones here and there around the neighborhood have survived the wrecking ball and now house small cottage businesses and some upscale boutiques. I even found a few waterfalls along the way. I started my walk on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, which is becoming like an old friend. East 59th Street with its luxury shops and hotels is going through a transition itself since the domination of the internet.

Many of the luxury stores from Steuben Glass to the old FAO Schwarz Fifth Avenue have either disappeared or have moved to other parts of Midtown. Even the Barney’s New York on Madison Avenue on the edge of the Upper East Side neighborhood has filed for bankruptcy sighting changing tastes (people just don’t dress like that anymore) and the cost of doing business in a Brick & Mortar store which such high rents. I really don’t think honestly that people can afford these places anymore and if they can, will order it online not having to deal with the sometimes-indifferent service you get now in stores (I experienced this feeling in Paul Stuart when I walked in twice with shorts). The result is a lot of empty retail space.

This is changing though with the remodeling of the older office buildings with new facelifts and newer foreign stores coming into the neighborhood. Even so, look again for the open-air museum of artwork all over the streets and in the lobbies of these soaring office buildings. When walking down East 58th Street, I came across the sculpture “Rondo” by artist Tony Rosenthal in 1969 in front of 127 East 58th Street.  This interesting circular sculpture is made of welded bronze.

Rondo Sculpture.jpg

‘Rondo’ by artist Tony Rosenthal

Tony Rosenthal was known for his large ‘Monumental Public Art Sculptures’ that appeared in cities all over the United States. Mr. Rosenthal had studied at the Chicago Institute of Art and in the 1960’s concentrated on large Abstract Geometric Sculptures. With his “Rondo” series in the 1960’s, it is noted that “Tony Rosenthal finds, discovers and reports to us what we might not have seen without him” (Tony Rosenthal biography).

tony-rosenthal-artist.jpg

Artist Tony Rosenthal in New York City

Home

Take a look at the detail work of 480 Park Avenue on the corner of Park Avenue and East 58th Street. Designed by architect Emery Roth in 1929, notice the terracotta detail work all over the building. It is one of the great residential buildings where each apartment had working fireplaces and high ceilings.

Look at the detail work at 480 Park Avenue

https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/midtown-east/the-antoinettes-480-park-avenue/7734

The details of 480 Park Avenue

Look for the faces in the design of the building.

One building that stands out on the corner of Lexington Avenue and East 57th Street is the Cohen Building at 135 East 57th Street with its soaring floors and interesting entrance with a ringed pavilion. This 31-story commercial office building has a unique circular path for vehicles up from and pillared terrace entrance. The architect is Kohn Pederson Fox Associates and was built in 1987 in the ‘Post-Modern’ design with a plaza in the front of a concave tower. The building is right across the street from Bloomingdale’s Department Store (NewYorkitecture).

135 East 57th Street The Cohen Building

The entrance of the Cohen Building.

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/135-E-57th-St-New-York-NY/13000228/

Walking past the IBM Building again, it was nice to finally discover that the sculpture outside the building was an Alexander Calder, the famous “Saurien”, that he created to emulate a reptile. This interesting and unusual sculpture deserved a second look. Other buildings that stand out in the neighborhood have been mentioned in Day One Hundred and Forty of MywalkinManhattan.com are the Fuller Building at 41 East 57th Street and 465 Park Avenue. Look up and notice their detail and artworks that line the outside of these buildings.

saurien-calder.jpg

Saurien by Alexander Calder

Alexander Calder

Alexander Calder artist

http://www.calder.org/

*This sculpture has been replaced by a sculpture by Joel Shapiro

The new Joel Shapiro work “Untitled”

The sculpture during the day.

The sign for “Untitled”

Artist Joel Shapiro

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

https://www.pacegallery.com/artists/joel-shapiro

Mr. Shapiro is an American born artist from New York City who graduated both with a BA and MA from New York University. He is best known for his sculptures of abstract human forms (Wiki).

When walking around East 57th to East 56th Streets, please be careful of the security around Trump Tower. They watch everything you do and it is best to just walk around this part of the neighborhood between Fifth and Madison Avenues. Most of the buildings on this block stretch from one block to the next.

Trump Building at 725 Fifth Avenue is where the security is tight

https://www.trump.com/residential-real-estate-portfolio/trump-tower-new-york

When walking down East 55th Street from Fifth Avenue back to Lexington Avenue, stop and notice the building at 116 East 55th Street, home to the SUNY Global Center. The building was the former mansion to the Zeigler family and was built between 1926-1927. The house was designed by architect William L. Bottomley in the ‘Neo-Georgian style’ and features Flemish blond brickwork on the outside. William Zeigler Jr., who owned the house with his wife, Helen was a businessman, sportsman and philanthropist (Wiki).

Zeigler House SUNY at 116 East 55th Street

The historical marker of 116 East 55th Street

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

I finished the first day of the neighborhood at East 55th Street and had dinner at Tri Dim Shanghai Restaurant at 1378 Third Avenue (see review on TripAdvisor). Their food is excellent and you have to try their Soup Dumplings that they are noted for.

Tri Dim’s Soup Dumplings are excellent

They burst in your mouth with each bite and their Classic Chicken, which is cooked in what I figure is a honey, soy and plum sauce is just excellent.

tri-dim-iii.jpg

Tri Dim’s Classic Chicken is excellent

Tri Dim Shanghai Restaurant at 1378 Third Avenue

For dessert, it was time to revisit Bon Vivant Bakery at 231 East 58th Street for dessert (See reviews on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com). I had one of their Rose Petit Fours ($4.00) and it was just excellent. A subtle sweetness with the accent of the rose extract that is used in the filling and the icing. These delightful cakes can be eaten in the two tier bakery and it is fun to watch the world go by.

Bon Vivant II.jpg

Bon Vivant at 231 East 58th Street is wonderful for desserts (Closed January 2021-Moved to Jersey City, NJ)

https://bonvivantnewyork.com

On my second day of walking the Streets of Midtown East I had just finished a busy day at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen working in the busy Bread Station and was exhausted by the time I got to East 55th Street. I stopped along the way for a Chicken Empanada at Empanada Suprema (see reviews on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com) at the corner of East 38th Street and Broadway for a quick lunch. This little stand is open only during the week and had the most delicious chicken, beef and cheese empanadas for $2.00! I love his sign with the Caped Empanada.

Empanada stand III.jpg

Empanada Suprema at the corner of West 38th Street & Broadway

In 2024.

The empanada’s are delicious

The Chicken Empanadas are wonderful with a little hot sauce

Don’t miss admiring the famous Friar’s Club at 57 East 57th Street. This beautiful building was built for Investment Banker Martin Erdman in 1908 by architect Alfredo S.G. Taylor and was designed in the ‘English Renaissance’ style.

The Friars Club at 57 East 55th Street

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

When walking the bottom of East 55th Street from Lexington Avenue, take time again to admire the former AT&T Building at 550 Madison Avenue and IBM Building at 590 Madison Avenue in the distance. These iconic buildings show the resilience and creativity of their corporate owners. They are such interesting designs (see Day One Hundred and Forty Walking the Borders of Midtown East).

Madison Avenue in the 50’s both during the day and at night

One of the most interesting little pocket parks in the neighborhood I found when I rounded the corner at East 54th Street. It was right in front of the Christie’s at 535 Madison Avenue is the Christie’s Sculpture Garden with its small tables and chairs, trees covered with white lights and interesting public art. The artist Jonathan Prince is showing his work, “Shattered I, II and III’ in the garden courtyard.

Christie's Sculpture Garden.jpg

Christie’s Sculpture Garden in front of 535 Madison Avenue with “Shattered Sculptures”

https://www.christies.com/privatesales/christies-sculpture-garden-shatter-by-jonathan-prince

The park in the early Spring of 2024.

The park in the Spring of 2024

The park in the Spring of 202( from the opposite direction

Artist Jonathan Prince is New York born and raised and holds degrees from Columbia University and the University of Southern California. Over the past twenty years, the artist has had a passion for form and material with the use of chaos in his works. His use of steel and CorTen is used in the ‘Shattered’ pieces and they have a reflective element against the white lights of the park (Artist website).

Jonathan Prince artist.jpg

Jonathan Prince in front of his “Shattered Sculptures”

http://www.jonathanprince.com/

This public garden is one of the nicest I have seen in many blocks and it is nice that Christie’s gives us an opportunity to view Public Art on sale while sitting back on the chairs on a nice day and just admire the park and people passing by.

The Kiton Store at 4 East 54th Street is the former home William Earle Dodge Stokes and his former wife, Rita. Mr. Stokes bought the land and leveled the houses that were there and had architects McKim, Mead and White design the marble mansion in 1896. The couple never lived in the house and filed for divorce soon after. The house was then bought by William H. Moore, the founder of Nabisco and his wife, Ada who movements in New York Society were well known. After Mrs. Moore’s death in 1955, the mansion was used for retail purposes (Daytonion in Manhattan).

The Kiton Store Stokes/Moore House at 4 East 54th Store

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Moore_House

The detail work of the building.

http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2010/10/1900-stokes-moore-mansion-4-east-54th.html

The ironic part of the former Stokes/Moore house is that right behind it when rounding the corner to East 54th Street is the Paley Garden, another small public garden with a waterfall as its centerpiece at 3 East 54th Street. The park was designed by architects Zion Breen Richardson Associates and opened in 1967. CBS Head William Paley financed the park in honor of his father, Samuel Paley (Wiki). This pristine little park is also nice to just sit and relax and listen to the waterfall and drown out the sounds of the City. The rest of East 54th Street is lined with large office buildings and the rush of people walking from one block to the next.

Paley Garden Park at East 53rd Street

https://tclf.org/landscapes/paley-park

The park under renovation in 2024

When it is open ‘in season’ don’t miss the Refreshment stand here. The food is pretty good

Rounding East 53rd Street make an effort to stop inside the lobby of 1 East 53rd Street to see the gallery display from the Studio in the School New York City. The works that line the wall of the lobby space of the building is from art students all over New York City.

The Studio in the School is the largest not for profit visual arts education organization in New York City with the mission to “foster the creative and intellectual development of youth through quality visual arts programs, directed by arts professionals. We also collaborate with and develop the ability of those who provide or support arts programming and creative development for youth both in and outside of schools. We fulfill our mission through two divisions; the New York City Schools Program and the Studio Institute” (Studio in the School mission statement).

The Studio in the School Gallery at East 53rd Street

Walking the rest of East 53rd and then onto East 52nd and East 51st is lined with large office buildings that stretch from one block to the other. Most of this part of the neighborhood was knocked down in the late 1960’s for commercial use.

This little dragon protects the museum.

The Studio in the School gallery.

When walking down East 50th Street there is a small gem of a public pocket park at the south side of East 50th Street between Madison and Park Avenues. Created by the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 2014, this little park called the “50th Street Commons” features a water feature ‘waterfall’ that turns colors from blue to green to yellow to fuchsia. This unique little park surrounded by exotic plants is another nice place to just sit and relax (Murray Hill, Gramercy and Midtown East Paper).

The “50th Street Commons” on East 50th Street

It changes colors in front of you

https://gothamist.com/news/photos-mta-opens-adorable-pocket-park-on-east-50th-street

Across the street from the park and wedged between office buildings is the restaurant, Maloney & Porcelli, which was founded in 1996 and offers “clubby American cuisine” and harks back to an era when lunch time was taken seriously. It stands in contrast to the ever-changing neighborhood.

Maloney & Porcelli.jpg

The restaurant classic, Maloney & Porcelli at 37 East 50th Street

https://www.maloneyandporcelli.com/

When rounding East 49th Street, stop at Tower 49 at 12 East 49th Street, the home of WeWork to see the art exhibition of artist Enrico Isamu Oyama exhibition “Inside Out”. This exhibition located on all side of the lobby. This contemporary and rather unusual exhibition starts with the pillars on both East 49th and 48th Streets to invite you inside (the security at the building is really cool and nice about people looking around). The Tower 49 Gallery offers exhibitions of art free of charge and is open to the public at street level.

Tower 49 Gallery.jpg

Tower 49 Gallery at 12 East 49th Street

http://www.tower49nyc.com/

Artist Enrico Isamu Oyama

Enrico Oyama artist II

https://www.enricoisamuoyama.net/

Mr. Oyama’s work is unique at best with a lot of lines and movement. His work “Quick Turn Structure” consists of interlocking intersections of black and white shapes and the unique style replaces letters with lines, highlighting their dynamic motion through the process of repetition that subsequently creates and abstract form with angular points and three-dimensional depth (Artist Press Release).

tower-49-gallery-ii.jpg

Tower 49 Gallery

Mr. Oyama is originally from Tokyo and is now based in New York City and likes to create a visual art in various mediums that features Quick Turn Structure, the motif composed of spontaneous repetition and expansion of free-flowing lines influenced by the aerosol writing of the 1970’s-1980’s New York and beyond (Artist Press Release).

enrico-oyama-artist.jpg

Artist Enrico Isamu Oyama in front of the project

https://www.enricoisamuoyama.net/

Opening in a former upscale Italian restaurant, Joe’s Home of the Soup Dumpling at 7 East 48th Street has been packing them in in 2021. I am not sure if they are part of the former Joe’s Shanghai that used to be located in Chinatown but this restaurant is gaining a reputation for their Soup Dumplings.

Joe’s Home of Soup Dumplings at 7 East 48th Street opened in 2021

The evening I went there I just happened to come across it and decided to have dinner. The Soup Dumplings ($11.95) are amazing. These are larger than most I have had recently and were loaded with fresh ground pork and crab and steamed perfectly. I ate these six little delights quickly and enjoyed my Shanghai Wonton Soup ($5.25) and Beef Scallion Sandwich ($8.95) as well. The food and service were excellent. Another time I was there, I had the Pork and Shrimp Spring rolls ($5.95) that are excellent.

I highly recommend the Soup Dumplings here

Dinner on a recent night of Crab and Pork Soup Dumplings and Pork and Shrimp Spring rolls.

Follow the neon sign to Joe’s.

If you are in need of a public bathroom, try the fourth floor of Saks Fifth Avenue in the Men’s Department. When the store is open, this is one of the most convenient places to go to the bathroom in the area.

When proceeding down East 48th Street, take a stop in front of 4 East 48th Street, The Church of Sweden. This Neo-Gothic Church was built in 1921 for “The Bible House” and was sold to the Church in 1978. There is a library and cafe that are inside and open to the public. For the most part, the rest of East 48th Street is filled with large buildings that stretch from side to side.

Church of Sweden at 4 East 48th Street

https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/newyork/information-about-the-church

The detail work of Church of Sweden.

There is one stand out piece of artwork in the lobby of 280 East 48th Street of four people hunched over in a circle. As hard as I tried though I don’t know who the brilliant artist is of the work (in 2024 when I revisited the building I still could not find the plaque to the artist).

The lobby sculpture at 280 East 48th Street

Rounding East 47th Street, take a trip back in time to Manhattan of the 1970’s inside of Phil’s Stationary at 9 East 47th Street. I was talking to the gentlemen who were running the store and told them I had not seen inventory like this on sale in a long time. Hard to find things like stationary, note pads, typing paper and ribbon and even recommendations to a place to fix the typewriter. This stationary store harks back to the days when people left the office to go shopping for things needed at the last minute. They still sell pens, pencils and even the old accounting ledger books. The nice part is that it still smells like a stationery store.

Phil's Stationery

Phil’s Stationery at 9 East 47th Street

http://philstationery.blogspot.com/

Most of the Streets between East 47th to East 46th Streets are lined with larger office buildings that stretch from block to block with a smattering of small businesses here and there. One standout at 556 Fifth Avenue at the entrance of East 46th Street is the Philippine Consulate General which services Philippine nationals in the Northeast states. This unique building is one of the last holdovers from the Country buildings that used to line this part of Fifth Avenue in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s. The building was designed by Carrere & Hastings in 1912 for the Knoedler and Company Art Gallery.

The Philippine Consulate at 556 Fifth Avenue

On the edge of East 46th Street sits the famous Roosevelt Hotel and the Helmsley Building which sit as the old guards to the neighborhood once known as “Terminal City”. The Helmsley Building at 230 Park Avenue was originally built for the headquarters of the New York Central Building in 1929 by Warren & Wetmore in the Beaux-Arts style. These are also the architects of Grand Central Station behind it that stands guard of the neighborhood from Turtle Bay to Midtown East.

The Helmsley Building at 230 Park Avenue stands guard over this part of Park Avenue

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

The details of the Hemsley Building.

The statues in the front of the building.

The Hemsley Building historical marker

The historical marker for the walkway and drive through.

The decorations in the Helmsley Building walkway.

The Helmsley Building at night

The Roosevelt Hotel at 45 East 46 sits between East 46th and 45th Streets next to Grand Central Terminal. The hotel was designed by architect George C. Post & Son in 1924 and was once part of a series of hotels that made up “Terminal City” that stretched along both sides of Grand Central. The hotel was named for President Teddy Roosevelt and even had a childcare service in ‘The Teddy Room’.

roosevelt-hotel-1.jpg

The Roosevelt Hotel at 45 East 46th Street

http://www.theroosevelthotel.com/

The faded Roosevelt Hotel being used as an immigrant intake center in 2024.

The Roosevelt Hotel’s other faded entrance.

These embellishments stare at you when you pass the hotel.

The embellishments also take a glance at you as well.

Take time to walk around these impressive buildings and look at the outside stone carvings and elaborate lobbies. The lobby of the Helmsley Building is impressive with its marble floors and impressive chandeliers.

On the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 46th Street tucked behind the Barnes & Noble bookstore I had lunch at a new branch of Joju at 555 Fifth Avenue, which had just opened that afternoon with a soft opening. I had some of their Vietnamese spring rolls which were filled with ground pork and vegetables and were cooked to perfection.

On another occasion to visit the restaurant, I had the Vietnamese sandwich with Caramel Pork and fish sauce and a side plain double-fried French Fries and a Lemon/Leechee Mojito Lunch did come to almost $22.00 but the sandwich can feed two and it is worth the indulge. The service there is really nice as well.

JoJu is a new addition to the Fifth Avenue restaurants at 555 Fifth Avenue

https://www.jojuny.com/

The inside of Joju

My Bahn Mai Sandwich with the Double Cooked Fries and a Leechee Lemon Mojito

The sandwich was delicious and so good!

The fries are excellent and so crispy

The Lemon Leechee Mojito was so refreshing on a hot day and all their drinks are so creative

Tucked into the side of the Helmsley Building at the corner of East 45th Street and Vanderbilt Avenue is Urbanspace Vanderbilt, an indoor food court with some of the most hip and innovative local restaurants in New York City.

The outside of UrbanSpace, the original in Vanderbilt Hall

The inside of the UrbanSpace at Vanderbilt Hall

https://www.urbanspacenyc.com/urbanspace-vanderbilt

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d8726958-Reviews-Urbanspace_Vanderbilt-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

These artisan and chef driven restaurants are outposts of the original neighborhood restaurants including well-known names of Roberta’s Pizza and Dough Doughnuts.

Dough at the UrbanSpace Vanderbilt

https://www.doughdoughnuts.com/location/dough-urbanspace-vanderbilt/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d17450439-r950268732-Dough-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

The Hibiscus Doughnut at Dough is the best.

The doughnut is incredibly delicious.

The company UrbanSpace has been creating these experiences since 1993 since the company’s establishment in 1972 in Great Britain. Don’t miss the vibrancy of the atmosphere and the smells that waft through the hall at lunch time. I love going to Dough that occasional $4.00 doughnut that is well worth it. UrbanSpace food court in the corner of the Helmsley Building on East 49th Street

https://www.urbanspacenyc.com/w52nd

The rest of East 45th and 44th Streets are lined with small office buildings and stores and along Madison Avenue the headquarters of Brooks Brothers (Closed 2020) and Paul Stuart stores that cater to the City professionals and “preppie class”.

Brooks Brothers at 346 Madison Avenue (Closed 2020)

https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-1915-brooks-brothers-building-346.html#google_vignette

You can still see the Brooks Brothers emblem on the old store.

Midtown East is now mostly a commercial neighborhood lined with office buildings and retail businesses but as you walk the streets here and there things still pop out and amaze you. It really shows the complexity of the City at its best and how a little creativity and renewal can change a space from one use to another.

That shows the imagination of the people who keep making Manhattan a unique experience.

Check out my other blogs on Walking Midtown East:

Day One Hundred and Forty-Three-Walking the Borders of Midtown East:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/9841

Day One Hundred and Forty-Five-Walking the Avenues of Midtown East:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/10332

Day One Hundred and Forty-Six-Walking the Streets of Midtown East:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/10451

Places to Eat:

Empanada Suprema

A Food Cart on the Corner of West 38th Street & Broadway

Not sure of hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d3617697-Reviews-Empanada_Stand-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/926

JoJu Fifth Avenue

555 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY  10036

(332) 204-2278

Open: Sunday & Saturday 11:00am-5:00pm/Monday-Friday 11:00am-7:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d19113235-Reviews-JoJu-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Bon Vivant

231 East 58th Street

New York, NY 10022

(646) 481-4044

Open: Sunday-Monday Closed/Tuesday-Friday 9:30am-7:30pm/Saturday 9:30am-6:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d12375755-Reviews-Bon_Vivant_New_York-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/littleshoponmainstreet.wordpress.com/253

Tri Dim Shanghai Restaurant

1378 Third Avenue

New York, NY  10075

(212) 585-3388

Open: Monday-Friday 11:45am-10:00pm/Sunday-Saturday 12:00pm-10:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d13322870-Reviews-Tri_Dim_Shanghai-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Urbanspace Vanderbilt

East 45th and Vanderbilt Avenue

New York, NY 10169

(646) 747-0810

Open: Sunday & Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm/Monday-Tuesday 6:30am-9:00pm/Wednesday-Friday 6:30am-10:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d8726958-Reviews-Urbanspace-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Joe’s Home of Soup Dumplings

7 East 48th Street

New York, NY  10017

(212) 333-3868

http://joestower49.com/

Open: Sunday 12:00p,m-8:45pm/Monday-Friday 11:00am-9:00pm/Saturday 12:00pm-8:45pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d23257370-Reviews-Joe_s_home_Of_Soup_Dumplings-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Places to visit:

Christie’s Sculpture Garden

66 East 55th Street

New York, NY 10022

(413) 229-9063

http://www.jonathanprince.com/christies-sculpture-garden-1

Tower 49 Lobby Gallery

12 East 49th Street

New York, NY  10017

https://www.tower49gallery.com/

Studio in the School Gallery

1 East 53rd Street

New York, NY  10022

My review on VisitingaMuseum.com:

https://wordpress.com/post/visitingamuseum.com/4376

50th Street Commons

48 East 50th Street

New York, NY  10022

http://www.mta.info/news-east-side-access-long-island-rail-road-mta-capital-construction/2014/09/16/50th-street-commons

Paley Garden Park

3 East 53rd Street

New York, NY  10022

Open: Sunday-Saturday 8:00am-8:00pm

(212) 639-9675

https://www.pps.org/places/paley-park

Places to Shop:

Phil’s Stationary

9 East 47th Street

New York, NY  10017

(212) 688-4144

Open: Sunday & Saturday Closed/Monday-Friday 9:00am-6:00pm

http://philstationery.blogspot.com/

Saks Fifth Avenue

611 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY  10022

(212) 753-4000

Open: Sunday 11:00am-7:00pm/Monday-Saturday 10:00am-8:30pm

https://www.saksfifthavenue.com/Entry.jsp

(Great for their public restrooms during business hours)

All the buildings and street art that is mentioned in this walk is done by address and street to make it easy to find. Please note the buildings and pocket parks that you should not miss.

Éclair Bakery 305 East 53rd Street New York, NY 10022

Don’t miss this delightful and delectable bakery on the border of Turtle Bay and Sutton Place. It is worth the trip to this side of the City!

Eclair Bakery at 305 West 53rd Street

Their savory selection of sandwiches and Quiches.

The selection of Eclairs at Eclair Bakery.

The mini Nutella and Strawberry jelly doughnuts are fantastic!

jwatrel's avatarDining on a Shoestring in the New York City area and beyond.

Éclair Bakery

305 East 53rd Street

New York, NY  10022

(212) 759-2253

eclairbakery-nyc.com

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d6438250-Reviews-Eclair_Bakery-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

I came across the Éclair Bakery when I was walking the Sutton Place neighborhood for my walking project, “MywalkinManhattan.com”. The bakery is on the side street of East 53rd Street close to Second Avenue on the border of the Sutton Place and Turtle Bay neighborhoods in an area some people in the neighborhood call “Sutton East”.

For all the confusion of what neighborhood it is in, Éclair Bakery is a rather large and narrow restaurant with seating in the front and back and the counter with all the baked goods in the middle. All the products here are lined up like colorful jewels in the display case.

Eclair Bakery IV

The bakery selection

The bakery is the brainchild of Stephane Pourrez, a French Pastry chef from Paris. He was trained at Ferrandi and the French…

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Colorant 146 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508

Colorant

146 Main Street

Beacon, NY   12508

https://www.facebook.com/colorantofficial/

https://www.thisiscolorant.com/

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

My review on TripAdvisor:

Colorant on Main Street in Beacon, NY

I was visiting downtown Beacon, NY because I had been Upstate to take a tour of Bannerman Island (see VisitingaMuseum.com) and wanted to see if there were any changes in the businesses in the downtown area. It seems like the town is going through a second wave of business ownership.

Colorant at the holidays in 2024

In the middle of Main Street I came across Colorant, a clothing and gift store that prides itself on being environmentally and sustainably friendly. The clothes here are all made by the in house designer and store owner or are from vendors that manufacture the same way. The clothes are lightweight, all dyed by hand by all natural dyes and are hand-printed or hand-brushed making each piece its own work of art and technically one of a kind.

Colorant Beacon IV

I saw this beautiful hand-print on one of the racks

The beauty of the clothes is their simplicity and form that is carefully well-made by the designer and by her counterparts. The clothes are displayed like art where a few pieces are put out for people to try on and make sure the correct fit is made.

Colorant Beacon III

Dying of the clothing

The construction of the clothes is very well-made and you can see it in the stitching and dying of the clothes.

Colorant Beacon V

This simple indigo dyed dress can be dressy casual in 2019

The owner’s new line for the Fall of 2019 is now in the store and carries a series of blouses, shirts and dresses that were made for what looked like a petite woman. There were also handmade shirts for men as well. The prices are reflective of the quality of the clothing from its handwork to the dying. It is not cheap when is quality cheap?

Colorant Beacon VI

An indigo dyed men’s shirt at Colorant in 2019

COLORANT X KURT LYLE EDITE DRESS | S

This new tie die dress really wowed me along with their jean and sweatshirt collection in 2021

This dress by Po eM I thought was really nice

The store also has an assortment of gifts such as planters, soap dishes, mugs and some jewelry and cosmetics. All of the products are environmentally made and have their own artistic touch to them. Please check the above website as the prices do change.

Colorant 2021 I

Specialty lines at Colorant

The store’s line of gourmet snacks

The service could not be more personal. The young woman working there explained the way the clothes are made and constructed and a little story about the owner as a designer and how she merchandised the store. The store is designed with exposed walls and piping holding the clothes with creative display cases to showcase the gifts.

Colorant 2021

Colorant offers something for everyone

It is nice to see American made products displayed in a creative environment with wonderful service. This is something that Amazon can’t replicate.

The new Men’s clothes line in 2024

History of the clothes at Colorant:

Colorant (established in 2012) is a modern line of apparel and accessories that celebrates the use of natural dye plants such as Indigo, Madder Root and Walnut in creating our vibrant palette. Like in nature, botanical colors have unpredictability depending on where and how the material was grown. Sassafras grown in northern regions will not yield the same orange as those from the south, which we here at Colorant embrace as the beauty of the natural dye process. Each season our colors are tested with our chosen fabrications to insure our colors will stand the test of time (Colorant History website).

The back of the store is painted beautifully and the clothing is so nicely displayed.

Each color has a story to tell:

Rich History:  Did you know the color purple was the most expensive color in the world? Roman kings were only able to wear it because it took 250,000 Murex Mollusks from the sea to extract enough dye to color a garment.

Earth Benefits: Botanical colors promote the harvesting of dye plants, creating a new agricultural market. Natural dyes are extracted from renewable resources offering a more sustainable option for the textile industry.

Pure Color: Nature provides hundreds of plant which yield vibrant colors. Many have been used for dying since antiquity and Colorant has preserved these tried and true methods.

(Colorant website)

Disclaimer: I credit the Colorant website for the company information and give them full credit for it.

jwatrel's avatarLittle Shop on Main Street

Colorant

146 Main Street

Beacon, NY   12508

https://www.facebook.com/colorantofficial/

https://www.thisiscolorant.com/

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

Colorant on Main Street in Beacon, NY

colorant-beacon-ii.jpg

I was visiting downtown Beacon, NY because I had been Upstate to take a tour of Bannerman Island (see VisitingaMuseum.com) and wanted to see if there were any changes in the businesses in the downtown area. It seems like the town is going through a second wave of business ownership.

In the middle of Main Street I came across Colorant, a clothing and gift store that prides itself on being environmentally and sustainably friendly. The clothes here are all made by the inhouse designer and store owner or are from vendors that manufacture the same way. The clothes are lightweight, all dyed by hand by all natural dyes and are hand-printed or hand-brushed making each piece its own work of art and technically one of a kind.

Colorant Beacon IV

I saw this beautiful…

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The Chopped Cheese Delicious (Blue Sky) Deli (Haiji’s) 2135 1st Avenue &110th Street New York, NY 10029

Don’t miss the home of the “Chopped Cheese sandwich” at Blue Sky Deli mentioned on my site, “MywalkinManhattan.com”.

The deli has gone through a third name change and is now called Chopped Cheese Delicious Deli. The sandwiches have NOT changed and are still the best!

The best place in New York for a Chopped Cheese sandwich

The Chopped Cheese is worth the trip to 110th Street

jwatrel's avatarDining on a Shoestring in the New York City area and beyond.

The Blue Sky Deli (Haiji’s)

2135 1st Avenue & 110th Street

NYC, NY  10029

(646) 632-7488

Open 24 hours

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d12328617-Reviews-Blue_Sky_Deli-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

The Blue Sky Deli (Haiji’s) is becoming a cult favorite in the restaurant industry as the home of the ‘infamous’ chopped cheese sandwich, otherwise known as a ‘ghetto’ sandwich. I have been coming into New York City for fifty years and had never heard of this sandwich. The one thing I can tell you is that a trip to the Blue Sky Deli is interesting.  It is located in East Harlem and surrounded by housing projects on almost all sides.  It is a destination place for anyone from other parts of the city.

There is a big debate now online of where it originated but most people will tell you it was created here on the corner of 1st Avenue & 110th Street and more rappers…

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Cotelac

Cotelac 983 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10021

Don’t miss this wonderful little French Ready to Wear shop on the Upper East Side. See further write-up in “MywalkinManhattan.com”. Happy Shopping!

Cotelac II

I love the beautiful clothing here.

Cotelac III

jwatrel's avatarLittle Shop on Main Street

Cotelac

983 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY  10021

(212) 288-0400

http://www.cotelac.com

Open:

Monday-Saturday: 10:30am-6:30pm/Sunday: 12:00pm-5:00pm

I came across this unique clothing and accessories store when walking the lower part of the Upper East Side for my project “MywalkinManhattan.com”. I was attracted by the beautiful clothing designs in the windows. It just lured me in with classic tailored look and vibrant colors and patterns to the clothes.

Cotelac

Clean elegant store with vibrant colored clothing

When I walked into Cotelac, I was taken by the clean lines and elegant displays that I thought was unusual for this part of Lexington Avenue. I thought this shop would be located on Madison Avenue or maybe in SoHo. The clothing had a sporty, casual elegance to it and the motives of the clothes were different from the other stores in the area. The prices were also not outrageous as they might be on Madison Avenue…

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Lorenzo and Maria's Kitchen

Lorenzo and Maria’s Kitchen 1418 Third Avenue New York, NY 10028 (Closed May 2021)

Don’t miss this delightful little gourmet food shop on the Upper East Side for homey entrees.

Lorenzo and Maria's Kitchen

I love the window displays here.

Lorenzo and Maria's Kitchen III

*This great little take out food market closed its doors during COVID and never reopened. The store is now pad-locked down when I visited it in February 2024.

jwatrel's avatarLittle Shop on Main Street

Lorenzo and Maria’s Kitchen

1418 Third Avenue

New York, NY  10028

(212) 794-1080

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lorenzo-Marias-Kitchen/244532482288020

Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Saturday 10:00am-7:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d480996-Reviews-Lorenzo_and_Maria_s_Kitchen-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

Sometimes there are stores that just don’t fit into any category or they fit into many categories. Lorenzo and Maria’s Kitchen is one of the those stores. It is not a restaurant but more of a upscale, homey gourmet shop selling all sorts of entrée items that are displayed like jewels in the window and when you go inside there are more wonderful things to see and smell when you walk through the door.

lorenzo-and-marias-kitchen-ii.jpg

Lorenzo and Maria’s Kitchen at 1418 Third Avenue

The store itself it a hark back to the old days of the Silver Palate and Dean & Deluca when they were in their heydays and had not gotten so frou-frou with their food and the customers and were more neighborhood shops that catered to…

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Empanada Sumprema in the Garment District

Empanada Sumprema Cart on the corner of Broadway & West 38th Street (Weekdays only)

If you love empanadas or just need a quick cheap meal, stop by Empanada Supreme on the corner of West 38th Street just off Seventh Avenue. You will have a big smile after eating them!

Empanada stand III

I love his sign and he has the best chicken and beef empanadas.

empanada stand II

jwatrel's avatarDining on a Shoestring in the New York City area and beyond.

Empanada Sumprema Cart

On the corner of Broadway & West 38th Street

New York, NY 10011

Open: From Monday-Friday only

My review on TripAdvisor review:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d3617697-Reviews-Empanada_Stand-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

I came across this little stand when I was walking around midtown Manhattan on West 38th Street, which is a treasure trove of reasonable restaurants that cater to the Garment District employees and tourists.

empanada stand iii

From 10th Avenue to 5th Avenue there are all sorts of small restaurants and stands that are mentioned on this blog.

The empanadas are freshly fried in small batches as they sell so they are always hot, fresh and crisp. At $2.00, they are a steal. They are large and filled with ground spiced beef, chopped spiced pieces of white meat breast of chicken and others are filled with cheeses. Three of them can make a complete meal with a soda. Make sure you ask for his hot sauce as…

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Hop Won Express Chinese Food

Hop Won Chinese Noodle Shop 139 East 45th Street New York, NY 10017

Don’t miss this Midtown East tiny Chinese restaurant for excellent food, generous portions and good service.

Hop Won Express at 139 East 54th Street

Boneless Roast Pork combination meal at Hop Won.

jwatrel's avatarDining on a Shoestring in the New York City area and beyond.

Hop Won Chinese Noodle Shop

139 East 45th Street

New York, NY   10017

https://hopwonrestaurant.netwaiter.com/

Telephone: (212) 661-4280/867-4996

Fax: (212) 867-0208

Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Friday 10:00am-8:45pm/Saturday 11:00am-7:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d4760804-Reviews-Hop_Won_Restaurant-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

On my travels to the Turtle Bay neighborhood, I came across a little gem of a restaurant tucked into the office buildings that line the border of Turtle Bay and Midtown East. Hop Won Chinese Noodle Shop is located in a series of small mom and pop restaurants in what is left of the brownstone section of the neighborhood. The rest of the street had been leveled for new office towers and this small strip of restaurants is what remains.

Hop Won appears small from the outside but the restaurant is rather large in the back with lots of nice seating to enjoy your meal. The front section of the restaurant is where you do your ordering and during the lunch rush…

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Day One Hundred & Forty-Five: Walking the Avenues of Midtown East Park & Madison Avenues from East 43rd Street to East 59th Streets September 5th, 2019 (again December 21st, 2024)

I have been running in and out of the City since I started teaching classes again at the college and had a ‘bucket list’ of small museums that I wanted to visit for my blog, “VisitingaMuseum.com” and restaurants I wanted to try before the Summer was over. So there was a lot of running around the last several weeks. That’s why the blogs come out a little later than usual.

I got back to finishing my walk around ‘Midtown East’ by walking the only two Avenues inside the neighborhoods borders, Madison and Park Avenues from East 43rd Street (which hugs the Turtle Bay neighborhood) and East 59th Street (which hugs the Upper East Side & Sutton Place). On the Avenues in this part of the neighborhood is mostly residential and commercial spaces with rows glass boxes on some streets and limestone and marble residential buildings one the others. There is a lot of sameness in the architecture here but don’t let that fool you. There are a lot of interesting things to see and places to visit in this very much working modern neighborhood.

My walk started on Madison Avenue’s commercial district at the start of East 43rd Street where a giant new glass box is being created right next to Grand Central Station. Probably not Mr. Vanderbilt’s vision for the area but I think he would have been impressed by the progress the area has experienced in the last 100 years.

My first stop is admiring and walking into the headquarters of Brooks Brothers Clothing store at 346 Madison Avenue, one of the most American and famous clothing stores in the United States. Stepping into Brooks Brothers is like a step back into time when shopping was still experience and customer service actually meant something. Their displays are elegant without being stuffy.

brooks-brothers-building-ii.jpg

The elegant displays at Brooks Brothers main floor (now closed)

The store was designed by architects La Farge & Morris in 1915 the Italian Renaissance design with prominent arched entrances, wrought iron arches and carved limestone details around the building. You can see the detail work in the cornices that line the top of the building.

The Brooks Brothers headquarters at 346 Madison Avenue (the now closed headquarters)

The detail work on the now closed Brooks Brothers headquarters

https://www.brooksbrothers.com/

The Golden Fleece emblem of Brooks Brothers on the front of the building.

Another great clothing store is Paul Stuart at Madison Avenue and East 45th Street. The store has been in business since 1938 and carries some of the most impressive clothing and accessories for Men and Women.

Paul Stuart Specialty Store at Madison & East 45th Street

https://www.paulstuart.com/

The store was a privately held family business until December of 2012 and then it was sold it’s long time partner, Mitsui. The store has changed a lot since the sale. It once had some of the best customer service in all the specialty stores in Manhattan but when I went to visit on this trip in my shorts and polo, the three sales people on the floor at the time ignored me. It’s not the same store with the orange carpet and older, more mature salespeople.

Paul Stuart II.jpg

The Men’s Department after the renovation

When you get to Madison and 55th Street, watch for the security as this is the back section of Trump Tower and East 55th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues is blocked off by barriers and armed NYPD detectives and police. Only one side of the street is open here so it is best to keep walking.

Another impressive building on Madison Avenue is at 550 Madison Avenue, the old AT&T Building with its signature ‘Chippendale’ roof. This building was considered radical and innovative at the same time when AT&T built it to house their world headquarters. The 37 story building was designed by famed architect Philip Johnson  in 1984 in the postmodern design. Critics called it ‘Chippendale’ after the famed furniture due to the ‘open pediment’ look of the top of the building based on English furniture design (Wiki). The building is currently have some lobby renovations that I passed.

ATT Building.jpg

550 Madison Avenue

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/550_Madison_Avenue

Looking up at the building from Madison Avenue.

The entrance of the ATT Building.

The Plaza next to the old ATT Building

The beautiful atrium that you can sit and relax in between the buildings.

Next to the AT&T Building is the IBM Building at 590 Madison Avenue. This 41 story building was built in 1983 by architect Edward Larrabee Barnes & Associates and developed by IBM and designed in the post-modern design (Wiki).

IBM Building.jpg

The IBM Building at 590 Madison Avenue & East 57th Street

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/590_Madison_Avenue

Because of the zoning laws established in 1916, there is a beautiful and relaxing open atrium filled with food kiosks and art work for the public to enjoy on the ground level. It is a nice place to relax after a long walk. Take time to admire the art works that line the atrium.

The Atrium at the IBM Building

Artist George Rickey’s work in 2024 in the atrium.

The George Rickey piece inside the atrium “Five Lines Diagonal Jointed II”

Artist George Rickey

https://www.georgerickey.org/

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

Artist George Rickey was an American born artist with multiple degrees and places of study. He holds a MA from B.A. (Modern History), Balliol College, Oxford, U.K. and a M.A. (Modern History), Balliol College, Oxford, U.K. He also did graduate study in Art History, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, New York, NY. George Rickey worked as painter, muralist, and sculptor. Across his diverse body of work from the paintings of the 1920s through the final sculptures of the 2000s, there are four themes that emerge: Movement, Color, Relationships, and Scale (Artist bio).

One piece of art that stands out is the red geometric sculpture on the corner of Madison and East 57th Street is the great artist Alexander Calder “Saurien” (which is a large reptile), that was created by the artist in his studio in 1975. This is an example of Calder’s “Stoic”  work and were called ‘stabiles’ because these abstract works, unlike his floating works of art, stand strongly and firmly into the ground (Art Nerd 2018).

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The Alexander Calder sculpture, “Saurien” (now replaced by another sculpture by artist Joel Shapiro)

Walk around this wonderful work by Calder and try to take a breath and understand what the artist was trying to say. It is almost like all the ‘legs’ on the sculpture are trying to show stability and contrast.

alexander-calder.jpg

American Artist Alexander Calder

http://www.calder.org/

*This sculpture has been replaced by a sculpture by Joel Shapiro

The new Joel Shapiro work “Untitled”

The sculpture in the day.

The sign for “Untitled”

Artist Joel Shapiro

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

https://www.pacegallery.com/artists/joel-shapiro

Mr. Shapiro is an American born artist from New York City who graduated both with a BA and MA from New York University. He is best known for his sculptures of abstract human forms (Wiki).

Inside the atrium, there are two interesting pieces of artwork that standout. There are two colorful acrylic apples that are done in colorful motifs that you should not miss. The sculptures were created in 2004 for the “Big Apple Fest” to promote the City’s tourism. Companies paid $8,500.00 to sponsor  and $12,500 to keep the apples in which artists were allowed to decorate inside or outside.

One of them is entitled “A Day in the Big Apple” by an artist named Billy.

‘A Day in the Big Apple’ by artist Billy

The other is of a colorful face by artist Romero Britto entitled “New York Future”.

“New York Future” by artist Romero Britto

Romero Britto is a Brazilian born American artist whose colorful works elude the optimism the artist has on his view of the world. He uses bold and colorful patterns to enhance his works (Artist Bio).

romero-britto-artist-ii.jpg

Brazilian Artist Romero Britto

https://britto.com

When you reach the edge of the neighborhood at East 59th Street, you are greeted by the former GM Building that stretches from Fifth to Madison Avenues.  This elegant 50 story building once represented the presence of GM in New York City. It was designed by the architectural firms of Edward Durell Stone & Associates and Emery Roth & Sons in 1968. It was designed in the “International Style” and stands guard at the end of the commercial district of Midtown East and the Upper East Side.

The GM Building stands guard at 767 Fifth Avenue

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

As you cross back down Madison Avenue on East 59th Street, you will notice the ever-changing retail landscape and all the empty storefronts on this part of Madison Avenue. Twenty years ago, this would not have existed, but it is a sign of the times.

The details of the Fuller Building at 41 East 57th Street

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

The detail work on the Fuller Building.

The Fuller Building at 41 East 57th Street

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

Another interesting building to admire is the Fuller Building at 41 East 57th Street on the corner of Madison Avenue. The building was created for the Fuller Construction Company in 1929 by architects Walker & Gillette in the ‘Art Deco Style’. The building’s exterior sculptures were designed by architect Elie Nadelman. Look at the interesting details not just on the outside of the building but walk into the lobby to take a look around (Wiki).

One of the great hotels in New York City stands guard at 455 Madison Avenue and 50th Street, the New York Palace Hotel (formerly the Helmsley Palace Hotel) which is a combination of an old mansion and the modern building behind it. The front of the building facing Madison Avenue is the former Villard Mansion.

New York Palace Hotel at 455 Madison Avenue

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

The front of the hotel is the “Villard Houses” created in 1882 for Henry Villard, a railroad financier, who worked with the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White to create a series of six brownstone townhouses facing a courtyard in the ‘Italian Neo-Renaissance style’. Developer Harry Hemsley leased the houses and hired Emery Roth & Sons to create the 55 story modern hotel in the back of the houses.

The Villard Houses part of the New York Palace Hotel

The hotel at Christmas 2024

The Villard Houses at the hotel decorated for the Christmas holidays

The hotel opened in 1981 as the notorious ‘Helmsley Palace Hotel’ with hotelier Leona Helmsley in charge. Considered one of the best hotels at the time, it was a five star/five diamond hotel (with one of the most nervous staffs in New York City). The hotel has been owned by Lotte Hotels & Resorts since 2015.

NY Palace Hotel III.jpg

The inside of the New York Palace Hotel, the Villard Houses

Take time to walk through the hotel from the East 50th Street entrance to the East 49th Street exit and walk around the public rooms and admire the architectural details from the Gilded Age. There are elegant features from staircases to marble fireplaces and the most beautiful views on Madison Avenue.

I found this pardon of the Helmsley Hotel on YouTube. It is very clever.

Another older hotel that stands out is the Roosevelt Hotel at 45 East 45th Street at the corner of Madison Avenue and East 45th Street. It stands guard next to Grand Central Station.  The hotel opened in 1924 and was designed by the architectural firm of George P. Post & Son for businessman, Frank A. Dudley and it was ran by United Hotels Company from a leased agreement with the New York Central Railroad. Like the other hotels that line Lexington Avenue, there used to be a separate passageway from the railroad to the hotel (Wiki).

roosevelt-hotel.jpg

The Roosevelt Hotel at 45 East 45th Street

http://www.theroosevelthotel.com/

The Roosevelt Hotel being used as a immigration center in 2023 and 2024

This is similar hotel to take the time to walk through the lobby and look at the vaulted ceilings and the Gilded Age details of the hotels with its thick carpets and elegant staircases. The hotel has a somewhat dark, more European feel to it. There is a lobby restaurant when open that looks pretty interesting.

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The entrance to the lobby at the Roosevelt Hotel in its heyday.

As you walk around Grand Central Terminal and through the archway pedestrian tunnels that lead to Park Avenue from East 45th to East 46th Streets, you will be traveling under the Helmsley Building at 230 Park Avenue that stands guard at the beginning to the business and residential neighborhood of Park Avenue.

The Helmsley Building at 230 Park Avenue

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

The Helmsley Building was built in 1929 as the New York Central Building for the rail company and was designed by architects Warren & Wetmore, who also designed Grand Central Terminal, in the ‘Beaux-Arts style’. Take time to admire the statuary around the clock that dominates its front and the beautiful stone detail work of the exterior of the building.

The beautiful details of the Helmsley Building on Park Avenue

The beautiful statuary.

The historical marker of the Helmsley Building.

The New York Central used the building as its starting point of “Terminal City”, a series of buildings and hotels that the railroad developed on the top of the rail line (Wiki). The true beauty of The Helmsley Building is at night when the owners put on a light show illuminating the building with colorful spotlights.

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The Helmsley Building light show after dark

Park Avenue in the East 40’s is quite amazing at night

All along Park Avenue is a series of ‘glass boxes’ for office buildings and residential towers that line the Avenue all the way up to East 96th Street at the exit of the rail line. Along the way, there are some interesting examples of architecture that line Park Avenue.

The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel at 301 Park Avenue is currently closed and under scaffolding awaiting its new life as a small hotel and condo complex. The hotel, as mentioned in previous blogs in ‘MywalkinManhattan.com’, was built and opened in 1931. It was designed by the architectural firm of Schultz & Weaver in the ‘Art Deco style’ and is probably one of the most famous and talked about hotels in New York City outside the Plaza Hotel (Wiki). There have been so many movies and TV shows filmed and written about the hotel to count and the restaurants inside the hotel were some of the better ones in New York City. The building will open sometime in the future.

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The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel at 301 Park Avenue (currently under renovation)

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/nycwawa-waldorf-astoria-new-york/

The only part of the hotel I could photo while under renovation in 2024.

St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church at 325 Park Avenue is one of the older buildings on Park Avenue and stands alone amongst the bigger buildings on this part of Avenue.  Though the congregation was started in 1835, this structure was built between 1916-17 and designed by Bertram Goodhue, who had designed the St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue (See Walking the Border of Midtown East-MywalkinManhattan). The church was designed in the ‘Byzantine Revival Design’ and he was required by the congregation to retain the old church portal from the former church on Madison Avenue and East 44th Street in the new church design (Wiki).

‘St. Bart’s’ Church at 325 Park Avenue

https://stbarts.org/

The detail work on the front door.

The historical plaque at St. Barts

Look at the details of the old church and the stained-glass windows. In the Summer months, there is a wonderful (yet somewhat over-priced) restaurant in the courtyard of the church and there are art markets during the Summer and Christmas holiday season that you should visit. There is also afternoon music at certain times of the year.

St. Barts NY II.jpg

St. Bart’s restaurant and terrace during the summer

One standout, innovative building on Park Avenue sits between East 52nd and 53rd Streets is the Seagram Building at 375 Park Avenue. The building and its exterior designs were created by German American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe with the interior Four Seasons Restaurant designed by American architect Philip Johnson.

The Seagram Building at 375 Park Avenue

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

Seagram Building Plaza, innovative to its time

The fountains are well known in their own right being used in TV and movies

The building was featured prominently in the first episode of “That Girl” in 1965.

This 38-story building of wonder was innovative in its time. Finished in 1958 as the corporate headquarters of Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, the building was noted for its ‘functional aesthetics’ and a prominent example of ‘corporate modern architecture’. Keeping up with modern building codes, the architect used ‘non-structural bronze I-beams and large glass windows’ to create the cool and well-toned exterior structure of the building (Wiki).

Also utilizing the 1916 building code and the new use of open public spaces, the building was one of the first in New York City to embrace the open-air plaza that was prevalent in the 1980’s and early 90’s design. It was an extremely innovative design at the time and still sets the standard for the modern ‘glass box’.

One of the last stand out buildings that I saw on Park Avenue before my walk back down the Avenue was at 465 Park Avenue, The Ritz Tower, an apartment hotel. This elegant residential building stands out because of its details on the exterior of the building and I later learned it was once home to the famous French restaurant, La Pavilion.

The Ritz Tower at 465 Park Avenue

The details of the Ritz Tower

The beautiful embellishments of the Ritz Tower.

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

This elegant building was designed by architects Emory Roth and Thomas Hastings for journalist Arthur Brisbane, who was the developer. The apartment hotel was managed by the Ritz-Carlton Company. The exterior of the building has many carved stone features so look closely from the other side of Park Avenue to admire the detail work. Don’t stare too long because the doorman gets a suspicious look if you look too long. He kept looking me over as I admired the building and the read the plaques.

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Look at the elegant details of the Ritz Tower

The historical plaque of the Ritz Tower.

Up and down the Park Avenue Mall is the work of artist Alex Katz “Park Avenue Departure”, of which it looks like the back of a woman who is walking away from some place. The work is a depiction of the artist’s wife, Ada. Each of the works along the mall is changed slightly to show the sculpture in motion as if it is walking down the mall. This street art exhibition will run through November 2019 (The Fund for Park Avenue).

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Alex Katz’s Park Avenue Mall exhibit “Park Avenue Departure” (closed in December 2019)

Alex Katz is an American artist

https://www.alexkatz.com/

alex-katz.jpg

American artist Alex Katz who was born in Brooklyn, NY and is a graduate of Cooper Union Art College. His long career has seen many changes in art form and today some of his concentrations are in landscape and portraiture. His work can be seen in museums all over the world.

For lunch and dinner that afternoon, I ate at Hop Won Chinese Noodle Shop at 139 East 45th Street between Lexington and Third Avenues (See reviews on TripAdvisor and DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com). After a long day of walking, I treated myself to a plate of mixed roasted meats, duck and pork, with a side of rice ($9.00) and an egg roll ($1.38). Their roasted meats are a lacquered delight with the rich, crackling skin of the duck worth every bite. The food here is delicious and so reasonable for Midtown East.

Hop Won.jpg

Don’t miss Hop Won at 139 East 45th Street

https://hopwonrestaurant.netwaiter.com/

The Roasted Meats here are really good.

By the end of the evening, I got a chance to double back around the Helmsley Building and look at the detail work of that structure as well and then walked up and down the tiny Vanderbilt Avenue between East 45th and 47th Streets that line next to Grand Central Terminal. The most notable building on this block is the Yale Club at 50 Vanderbilt Avenue. The famous clubhouse was designed by Yale Alumnus and architect James Gramble Rodgers, and it opened in 1915.

yale-club.jpg

The Yale Club at 50 Vanderbilt Avenue; notice the plaque to Nathan Hale on the bottom left

https://www.yaleclubnyc.org/

The Nathan Hale marks one of the two spots where the patriot may have been hung.

Nathan Hale

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

https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/nathan-hale-american-patriot-army-ranger-spy/

The most notable item outside the club is the historical mark where supposedly Patriot Nathan Hale was hung. There is a conflict to where it actually took place and there is another site on the Upper East Side (See Walking the Upper East Side Streets in MywalkinManhattan), where that plaque is outside the local Pier One. I personally like that theory better. Where else in American could a Patriot of the Revolutionary War be hung in that two hundred years later would house a retailer that sells Christmas chukkas made in China?

That’s what I love about Manhattan!

Check out my other blogs on Walking Midtown East:

Day One Hundred and Forty-Three-Walking the Borders of Midtown East:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/9841

Day One Hundred and Forty-Five-Walking the Avenues of Midtown East:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/10332

Day One Hundred and Forty-Six-Walking the Streets of Midtown East:

https://wordpress.com/post/mywalkinmanhattan.com/10451

I have enclosed all the addresses to the interesting buildings you should visit above to make it easier than doing them one by one.

Things to see:

Tour all the famous buildings in the neighborhood

Alex Katz “Park Avenue Departure”

http://www.alexkatz.com/

https://fundforparkavenue.org/pages/sculpture

A little video on Alex Katz’s work

Places to Eat:

Hop Won Chinese Noodle Shop

139 East 45th Street

New York, NY  10017

(212) 867-4996

https://hopwonrestaurant.netwaiter.com/

http://www.wohopchinese.com/

Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Friday 10:00am-8:45pm/Saturday 11:00am-7:30pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g60763-d4760804-Reviews-Hop_Won_Restaurant-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

My review on DiningonaShoeStringinNYC@Wordpress.com:

https://diningonashoestringinnyc.wordpress.com/2019/08/10/hop-won-chinese-noodle-shop-139-east-45th-street-new-york-ny-10017

My review in MywalkinManhattan.com:

https://mywalkinmanhattan.com/tag/hop-won-chinese-noodle-shop/

Curioni’s Pizza 80 Liberty Street Lodi, NJ 07644

Don’t miss this authentic “Jersey” experience when visiting Lodi, NJ for delicious pizzas and sandwiches.

Curioni's Pizza

The pizza sauce here is full of flavor.

Curioni's Pizza V

The sandwiches here are delicious!

jwatrel's avatarDining on a Shoestring in the New York City area and beyond.

Curioni’s Pizza

80 Liberty Street

Lodi, NJ  07644

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curionis/170829696284447

(973) 473-7934

Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Thursday 6:00am-4:00pm/Friday 6:00am-7:00pm/Saturday 7:00am-6:00pm

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46580-d4635233-Reviews-Curioni_s_Pizza-Lodi_New_Jersey.html?m=19905

Eating at Curioni’s Pizza is a real local experience. The fun part about eating at this family run business is that if you want to meet the residents of Lodi, NJ, just sit at one of the ten stools inside the pizzeria and you will know all the town gossip. The customers come up and talk to owner, Walter Curioni Jr., while he is making his pies and his son, Ryan, who is usually running around behind him popping in pizzas into the pizza oven and preparing sandwiches. It is a real family atmosphere here as people come in to talk to one another and air their problems and concerns in the town and in their lives.

Curioni's Pizza IV.jpg

The business was opened by Mr. Curioni’s grandparents in 1923 as…

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