JOURNALS ONE - FOUR
Impressions of New York
"You haven't lived until you died in New York" - Alexander Woollcott
Often times you can hear me mumble that Alexander Woollcott quote as I am stumbling into Penn station after a long night out on the vibrant streets of New York City and man is it true! New York city is like no other city in the world! Its cultural diversity, amazing atmosphere, restaurants, nightlife, sports teams, and endless amount of opportunity are just some of the few reasons why it is the greatest city in the world. I have lived on Long Island my whole life and to be completely honest, there is not much I know about New York City. I can't tell you much about the city but here are just a few things I'm pretty sure about.
Number One. There are tourists taking pictures of every little thing and they are everywhere!
I am one who loves to take pictures every where they go. To me a picture is worth a thousand words, so if theres something I want to remember I try the best I can to capture it, but the New York tourists take it to a whole other level. You can find a tourist on every block of New York City capturing every little thing that moves. The littlest of things they find are extremely important they must capture.I would not find a problem with this if the tourists would do this quickly then move on but often this is a terribly lengthy process.
Number Two. Driving in the city is a blood pressure rising experience.
One can hear stories about driving in New York City but until one experiences the yelling, honking and "kind" exchanging of words it can not properly be described. When driving in the city it is important to have a well working horn and vocal cords because if you don't , you'll find yourself in the nearest precinct making out an accident report. Driving in the city is a hard job and I give the taxi drivers all the credit in the world !
Number Three. New Yorkers take their coffee very seriously.
Do not expect a coffee break to take you 5 minutes in New York City. The lines alone for coffee can take up to 20 minutes and thats not even at a Starbucks. If your at a Starbucks tack on another 10 minutes for the extremely long, tedious orders but in the end are completely necessary to enhance your coffee drinking experience.
Number Four. Walking is an Olympian Sport
If your hoping to take a leisurely stroll down 7th avenue, man your in for a rude awakening! Walking in New York City is like an athlete training for the Olympics, people will throw you down in order to get to the front. If by doing that they cut 4 minutes off of their travel time, it is a successful move in their book!
Number Five. The hot dog and candied nuts get you every time.
How can you resist a delicious dirty water dog and candied nuts from the kind street vendors. I know I can't because they get me almost every time and honestly they never disappoint.
Number Six. FASHION. FASHION. FASHION.
If you are looking for trendy, out of the box but totally fantastic clothing New York is the place for you. The diverse number of clothing stores, along with cute boutiques allow for endless shopping opportunities but bring a heavy wallet because it will be sure to lighten it in no time.
There are many things I do not know about New York City and I am interested to experience more so I can add them to my short list. This opportunity is so exciting and allows me to share! What's better than that ?
"You haven't lived until you died in New York" - Alexander Woollcott
Often times you can hear me mumble that Alexander Woollcott quote as I am stumbling into Penn station after a long night out on the vibrant streets of New York City and man is it true! New York city is like no other city in the world! Its cultural diversity, amazing atmosphere, restaurants, nightlife, sports teams, and endless amount of opportunity are just some of the few reasons why it is the greatest city in the world. I have lived on Long Island my whole life and to be completely honest, there is not much I know about New York City. I can't tell you much about the city but here are just a few things I'm pretty sure about.
Number One. There are tourists taking pictures of every little thing and they are everywhere!
I am one who loves to take pictures every where they go. To me a picture is worth a thousand words, so if theres something I want to remember I try the best I can to capture it, but the New York tourists take it to a whole other level. You can find a tourist on every block of New York City capturing every little thing that moves. The littlest of things they find are extremely important they must capture.I would not find a problem with this if the tourists would do this quickly then move on but often this is a terribly lengthy process.
Number Two. Driving in the city is a blood pressure rising experience.
One can hear stories about driving in New York City but until one experiences the yelling, honking and "kind" exchanging of words it can not properly be described. When driving in the city it is important to have a well working horn and vocal cords because if you don't , you'll find yourself in the nearest precinct making out an accident report. Driving in the city is a hard job and I give the taxi drivers all the credit in the world !
Number Three. New Yorkers take their coffee very seriously.
Do not expect a coffee break to take you 5 minutes in New York City. The lines alone for coffee can take up to 20 minutes and thats not even at a Starbucks. If your at a Starbucks tack on another 10 minutes for the extremely long, tedious orders but in the end are completely necessary to enhance your coffee drinking experience.
Number Four. Walking is an Olympian Sport
If your hoping to take a leisurely stroll down 7th avenue, man your in for a rude awakening! Walking in New York City is like an athlete training for the Olympics, people will throw you down in order to get to the front. If by doing that they cut 4 minutes off of their travel time, it is a successful move in their book!
Number Five. The hot dog and candied nuts get you every time.
How can you resist a delicious dirty water dog and candied nuts from the kind street vendors. I know I can't because they get me almost every time and honestly they never disappoint.
Number Six. FASHION. FASHION. FASHION.
If you are looking for trendy, out of the box but totally fantastic clothing New York is the place for you. The diverse number of clothing stores, along with cute boutiques allow for endless shopping opportunities but bring a heavy wallet because it will be sure to lighten it in no time.
There are many things I do not know about New York City and I am interested to experience more so I can add them to my short list. This opportunity is so exciting and allows me to share! What's better than that ?
Quintessential Queens
Today was our first day of the Gotham New York Experience class in the city! I was eager to get the day started and to see where we were headed on our very first adventure. I did not know what to expect from this class or where we would be headed but I was super excited! One thing I did know was that we would be walking a lot and that it was extremely hot out but I think the excitement for the day allowed me along with my fellow classmates to power through. Having met some of my friends on the train ride we exited the LIRR together into Penn station. We all had enough time to grab some food, go to the bathroom and buy a metro card before meeting up with the rest of our class. When we arrived we were told where we were headed and I glad to be told Queens.
To be honest when I first thought about the borough of Queens not much came to mind. But, I was eager to see what it had in store for us. The class and I hopped on the 7 train from Penn station heading towards Flushing Meadow Park, upon exiting the subway we were greeted by the hot boardwalk bridge and the various groups of people flooding the entrance of the National Tennis Center for the 2014 US Open. As we continued down the boardwalk we approached some bleachers near shaded tennis courts where Mike briefed us on the history behind Flushing Meadow Park and Queens. We learned that the now beautiful Flushing Meadow Park was once a garbage dumping ground and covered with ashes. It wasn’t until Robert Moses had suggested cleaning up the area of Flushing Meadow to hold the 1939-1940 World fair that something was done to the pile of ashes (ENY, pg.219). The 1939-1940 World Fair is what put Queens on the map. You may ask what exactly is the World Fair? The World Fair was a place where countries from all over the world came together to share the newest advancements in technology.
Next we were off to the Unisphere. The Flushing Meadow Park had luscious gardens leading to the Unisphere where I was taken back at the pure enormity of the structure. I came to find out that as part of the rejuvenation of Flushing Meadow, the Unisphere was built to depict all the continents coming together under one main idea and that was global interdependence. This structure is quite breath taking, spanning over 12 stories high and weighing over 900,000 pounds (ENY, pg.218). The time and detail that went into the structure is amazing and is something I will never forget. Plus the Unisphere had a lovely water feature around it allowing us to have a nice mist while catching some cool pictures of the amazing structure.
Only a few feet away from the Unisphere we met our next destination the Queens museum. The Queens museum was built for the 1939-1940 World fair but was used again in the 1965-1965 World Fair. In 1964-1965 World Fair New York wanted to share the highest technology they had and what they came to realize was it was New York City itself. The Queens museum is home to the panorama. It took over 3 years to build and spans over 9,000 square feet, replicating every inch of New York City and the five boroughs. Having looked at the panorama for quite a bit of time, I came to realize just how large the other boroughs were when compared to Manhattan. The amazing tour guide was great and told us some fun facts regarding the city. Did you know that central park was man made and every inch was purposely put there? Also that the skyscrapers are built in a specific area of the city because of its durable dirt called Manhattan Schist? I know I was amazed too!
After the Queens museum we headed back to the 7 train to our next destination Jackson Heights. Jackson heights is a culturally diverse area where within a three block radius you can have food ranging from Indian to Philippino. We headed towards a part known as Little India where we experienced some great traditional Indian cuisine at the Jackson Diner. Having tried some traditional Indian food on my recent trip to Africa I was ready to dig in. I had some of my favorites including samosas, naan, and curry but experimented with a few new foods I wasn’t so sure about. Needless to say I wasn’t disappointed and would definitely try them again!
Next we were off to Astoria ! Finally a part of Queens I know just a little about. When I say I know a little about an area that generally means I have an understanding of the local bars scene , what can I say, this girl loves a good beer ! Having exited the subway on Steinway Street we headed towards 35th avenue. Ironically I know this area quite well only because my favorite beer garden is right around the corner! We stopped to have a quick discussion about the gentrification occurring in Queens specifically Astoria and other boroughs such as Brooklyn/ Long Island City. Gentrification is when there is a change in urban communities toward wealthier businesses or residents causing the property prices to increase. You can really see the gentrification occurring just by looking at the renovation of old buildings within the area. Following our discussion we headed toward the Museum of Moving Image. I was skeptical upon entering the museum because I was not sure what we were going to experience but again was pleasantly surprised. This museum has to be one of the coolest things I have ever been to. Being a movie person I was taken back at how the museum showed you the in and outs of television and film. On the third floor there was a whole interactive area where I mainly participated in the voice- overs. My friends and I could not get out of this booth it was too much fun. I played Eddie Murphy in the movie “ Coming to America” and epically failed. But, I did it one last time, playing the role of Marilyn Monroe, and needless to say I nailed it, southern accent and all! We spent way too much time upstairs that we had to rush through the remaining parts of the museum. We made enough time to check out the costume area, set replicas, and most importantly the make up used in various films. On display they showed the make up used in Sex in the City 2 and the mask of the late Robert Williams in the infamous role of “ Mrs. Doubtfire”. It was amazing to see the mask of Robert and how amazed but also saddened everyone was who surrounded it. This museum was so much fun and is definitely something I will bring family and close friends to enjoy.
Lastly we were on our way to Long Island City. Another destination I had never been to but was excited to explore. Upon exiting the subway we began to speak about the gentrification occurring in Long Island City specifically targeting areas close to the East River. We began to take a lengthy walk towards the East River where we were greeted by a breath taking view and breeze. As we sat down along the East river staring out onto the Manhattan skyline, we spoke about the architecture in Manhattan. The varying buildings have different types of architecture ranging from modern to art deco to gothic. As we continued our walk along the phenomenal greenery and water we came to a stop at the Pepsi Cola sign. This sign was HUGE. We all joked that it was blocking some of the renter’s mighty fine views and that those people should have a discounted rent but hey I would take anything to be in that dynamite location!! We ended our day at Gantry Plaza with the 19th century railroad gantry that was painted with Long Island right on it. I was amazed to find out that boats would come along and it was at that very gantry where food would be divided and brought out to Long Island (ENY, pg. 226). The over all atmosphere of Long Island City was one for the books. Its amazing views, breathtaking scenery and proximity are just some of the view things I now love about it. I am now considering moving to this area ..well when I marry a millionaire that is.
It was a long day exploring the borough of Queens! As we traveled back to the subway to make our journey home, some of us decided to stop and have a cold one at a local pub. Man did that beer hit the spot after a hot humid day. With our buzz going, we hopped on the 7 train to Woodside before we made our final transfer at Jamaica. From Jamaica we were homeward bound and to be honest I could not have been more excited. My bed was calling my name and before I knew it I was passed out on my couch ( clearly I didn’t make it to my bed)! All in all Queens was an amazing borough that I look forward to exploring more often! Ta ta for now Queens, its been real !!
Here are just a few images of the day !!
Today was our first day of the Gotham New York Experience class in the city! I was eager to get the day started and to see where we were headed on our very first adventure. I did not know what to expect from this class or where we would be headed but I was super excited! One thing I did know was that we would be walking a lot and that it was extremely hot out but I think the excitement for the day allowed me along with my fellow classmates to power through. Having met some of my friends on the train ride we exited the LIRR together into Penn station. We all had enough time to grab some food, go to the bathroom and buy a metro card before meeting up with the rest of our class. When we arrived we were told where we were headed and I glad to be told Queens.
To be honest when I first thought about the borough of Queens not much came to mind. But, I was eager to see what it had in store for us. The class and I hopped on the 7 train from Penn station heading towards Flushing Meadow Park, upon exiting the subway we were greeted by the hot boardwalk bridge and the various groups of people flooding the entrance of the National Tennis Center for the 2014 US Open. As we continued down the boardwalk we approached some bleachers near shaded tennis courts where Mike briefed us on the history behind Flushing Meadow Park and Queens. We learned that the now beautiful Flushing Meadow Park was once a garbage dumping ground and covered with ashes. It wasn’t until Robert Moses had suggested cleaning up the area of Flushing Meadow to hold the 1939-1940 World fair that something was done to the pile of ashes (ENY, pg.219). The 1939-1940 World Fair is what put Queens on the map. You may ask what exactly is the World Fair? The World Fair was a place where countries from all over the world came together to share the newest advancements in technology.
Next we were off to the Unisphere. The Flushing Meadow Park had luscious gardens leading to the Unisphere where I was taken back at the pure enormity of the structure. I came to find out that as part of the rejuvenation of Flushing Meadow, the Unisphere was built to depict all the continents coming together under one main idea and that was global interdependence. This structure is quite breath taking, spanning over 12 stories high and weighing over 900,000 pounds (ENY, pg.218). The time and detail that went into the structure is amazing and is something I will never forget. Plus the Unisphere had a lovely water feature around it allowing us to have a nice mist while catching some cool pictures of the amazing structure.
Only a few feet away from the Unisphere we met our next destination the Queens museum. The Queens museum was built for the 1939-1940 World fair but was used again in the 1965-1965 World Fair. In 1964-1965 World Fair New York wanted to share the highest technology they had and what they came to realize was it was New York City itself. The Queens museum is home to the panorama. It took over 3 years to build and spans over 9,000 square feet, replicating every inch of New York City and the five boroughs. Having looked at the panorama for quite a bit of time, I came to realize just how large the other boroughs were when compared to Manhattan. The amazing tour guide was great and told us some fun facts regarding the city. Did you know that central park was man made and every inch was purposely put there? Also that the skyscrapers are built in a specific area of the city because of its durable dirt called Manhattan Schist? I know I was amazed too!
After the Queens museum we headed back to the 7 train to our next destination Jackson Heights. Jackson heights is a culturally diverse area where within a three block radius you can have food ranging from Indian to Philippino. We headed towards a part known as Little India where we experienced some great traditional Indian cuisine at the Jackson Diner. Having tried some traditional Indian food on my recent trip to Africa I was ready to dig in. I had some of my favorites including samosas, naan, and curry but experimented with a few new foods I wasn’t so sure about. Needless to say I wasn’t disappointed and would definitely try them again!
Next we were off to Astoria ! Finally a part of Queens I know just a little about. When I say I know a little about an area that generally means I have an understanding of the local bars scene , what can I say, this girl loves a good beer ! Having exited the subway on Steinway Street we headed towards 35th avenue. Ironically I know this area quite well only because my favorite beer garden is right around the corner! We stopped to have a quick discussion about the gentrification occurring in Queens specifically Astoria and other boroughs such as Brooklyn/ Long Island City. Gentrification is when there is a change in urban communities toward wealthier businesses or residents causing the property prices to increase. You can really see the gentrification occurring just by looking at the renovation of old buildings within the area. Following our discussion we headed toward the Museum of Moving Image. I was skeptical upon entering the museum because I was not sure what we were going to experience but again was pleasantly surprised. This museum has to be one of the coolest things I have ever been to. Being a movie person I was taken back at how the museum showed you the in and outs of television and film. On the third floor there was a whole interactive area where I mainly participated in the voice- overs. My friends and I could not get out of this booth it was too much fun. I played Eddie Murphy in the movie “ Coming to America” and epically failed. But, I did it one last time, playing the role of Marilyn Monroe, and needless to say I nailed it, southern accent and all! We spent way too much time upstairs that we had to rush through the remaining parts of the museum. We made enough time to check out the costume area, set replicas, and most importantly the make up used in various films. On display they showed the make up used in Sex in the City 2 and the mask of the late Robert Williams in the infamous role of “ Mrs. Doubtfire”. It was amazing to see the mask of Robert and how amazed but also saddened everyone was who surrounded it. This museum was so much fun and is definitely something I will bring family and close friends to enjoy.
Lastly we were on our way to Long Island City. Another destination I had never been to but was excited to explore. Upon exiting the subway we began to speak about the gentrification occurring in Long Island City specifically targeting areas close to the East River. We began to take a lengthy walk towards the East River where we were greeted by a breath taking view and breeze. As we sat down along the East river staring out onto the Manhattan skyline, we spoke about the architecture in Manhattan. The varying buildings have different types of architecture ranging from modern to art deco to gothic. As we continued our walk along the phenomenal greenery and water we came to a stop at the Pepsi Cola sign. This sign was HUGE. We all joked that it was blocking some of the renter’s mighty fine views and that those people should have a discounted rent but hey I would take anything to be in that dynamite location!! We ended our day at Gantry Plaza with the 19th century railroad gantry that was painted with Long Island right on it. I was amazed to find out that boats would come along and it was at that very gantry where food would be divided and brought out to Long Island (ENY, pg. 226). The over all atmosphere of Long Island City was one for the books. Its amazing views, breathtaking scenery and proximity are just some of the view things I now love about it. I am now considering moving to this area ..well when I marry a millionaire that is.
It was a long day exploring the borough of Queens! As we traveled back to the subway to make our journey home, some of us decided to stop and have a cold one at a local pub. Man did that beer hit the spot after a hot humid day. With our buzz going, we hopped on the 7 train to Woodside before we made our final transfer at Jamaica. From Jamaica we were homeward bound and to be honest I could not have been more excited. My bed was calling my name and before I knew it I was passed out on my couch ( clearly I didn’t make it to my bed)! All in all Queens was an amazing borough that I look forward to exploring more often! Ta ta for now Queens, its been real !!
Here are just a few images of the day !!
Where Brooklyn At
Today marks our second day of the Gotham New York Experience class in the city. Yet again I was eager to start my day and to see where we were headed in my second favorite borough, Brooklyn. There are over 2.5 million people who call Brooklyn their home “making it the second most densely populated county in the United States” (ENY, 191). Brooklyn’s dense population, ranging ethnicities and wide economical demographic make it one of the most interesting boroughs.
My day started off a tad bit bumpy with some minor delays on the LIRR, but thank heavens for having my good friend and co pilot Kayla by my side. We were just a tad bit late when arriving to Penn station so Mike and the class had already started their journey onward to Coney Island. Not far behind them Kayla and I hopped on the D express train to Coney Island.
Coney Island was one of my most cherished childhood destinations. I can remember going to Coney Island during the summer for a nice change of scenery, some screaming fun and the infamous Nathan’s hot dog. The area of Coney Island was all too familiar so upon our arrival I knew exactly where we were. Luckily we had some friends waiting for our arrival and to get this day started. We chose to start our day off with food and unlike my childhood I ate a piece of pizza. Many of you may be thinking I am a disgrace to Coney Island but how can a girl pass up some bargain pizza? After eating we explored the boardwalk and the various rides available in Luna Park. We captured some awesome pictures of rides such as the wonder wheel and none other than the Cyclone. The Cyclone is famous to Coney Island for its 85 feet tall wooden structure that has been available to adrenaline junkies since 1927 (ENY, 195). The historical significance of the cyclone is amazing but as a ride, it is not one for me to try. Unfortunately due to time restraints we weren’t able to ride or visit other areas of Coney Island but its only more of a reason to come back!
Next we were off on the F towards Brooklyn Heights. As we walked through Brooklyn we headed towards Schermerhorn Street to the Transit Museum. When we stopped to discuss the details about the museum I was shocked to see that we were actually there because it was just your typical subway entrance. I was amazed at how this whole museum had been put together and created, everything so closely depicting the subway stations we pass through every Friday. Our tour guide was great and truly educated us on why the underground subway station was created and how it was created. Did you know that in 1888 New York experienced the worst blizzard in the country, having snow accumulations greater than 50 inches causing all above ground transit to stop. It was the blizzard that caused New York to think of an alternative way to transport people and that was when the underground railroad was created (ENY,202). The best part of the museum was when we traveled to the subway platforms and walked through the antique subway cars. The older the car the better it was, from the wicker style seats to the old advertisements, it was amazing to be in something that my grandparents might have once traveled in.
Following the Transit Museum, we were off to explore some of the amazing architecture Brooklyn Heights had to offer. We visited the building of Brooklyn Borough Hall which is the oldest public building in Brooklyn. Its Greek revival structure along with the iconic columns are just beautiful and truly make the structure one for the books (ENY, 203). We continued to walk around Brooklyn Heights viewing churches and buildings with amazing architecture adding to just how amazing Brooklyn is. We finally reached the Brooklyn Heights Promenade where we over looked the water, Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. Directly below the Brooklyn bridge lies the dreadful BQE. The BQE was created by none other than Robert Moses in 1953 and ended up destructing the surrounding neighborhood making many New Yorkers not happy. From here we traveled to the Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo. I was amazed by the greenery and the jaw breaking views . As you walked throughout the park we reached Jane’s Carousel which is surrounded by a 9 million dollar transparent glass jewel box (ENY,208).It allows everyone to see the beautifully preserved carousel as well as protecting it all at once.
From there we traveled to a small ice cream parlor called Jacques Torre, where many indulged in some delicious treats before we trooped over the Brooklyn Bridge. As a person extremely terrified of heights, it took me a while to wrap my mind around the fact I would be walking above cars for 1.1 miles. As we started to walk over the bridge I was walking very fast just trying to bypass the people and make it over, but as time passed I began to slow down and take in the amazing scenery and architecture. Prior to the bridge being built the population traveled by ferry from Brooklyn to Manhattan but with any sort of bad weather it would throw the ferry system off completely. It took 14 years to build the bridge and 320 million in today’s dollars and was completed in 1883 ( ENY,208-209). Walking over the bridge is something I will NEVER forget and is something that all New Yorkers should do once in their lives. I loved taking in the structure of the bridge and the enormity of the suspension cables that make the bridge to appealing.
Thanks BK for the wonderful time , I look forward to maybe making you my home someday !!
Today marks our second day of the Gotham New York Experience class in the city. Yet again I was eager to start my day and to see where we were headed in my second favorite borough, Brooklyn. There are over 2.5 million people who call Brooklyn their home “making it the second most densely populated county in the United States” (ENY, 191). Brooklyn’s dense population, ranging ethnicities and wide economical demographic make it one of the most interesting boroughs.
My day started off a tad bit bumpy with some minor delays on the LIRR, but thank heavens for having my good friend and co pilot Kayla by my side. We were just a tad bit late when arriving to Penn station so Mike and the class had already started their journey onward to Coney Island. Not far behind them Kayla and I hopped on the D express train to Coney Island.
Coney Island was one of my most cherished childhood destinations. I can remember going to Coney Island during the summer for a nice change of scenery, some screaming fun and the infamous Nathan’s hot dog. The area of Coney Island was all too familiar so upon our arrival I knew exactly where we were. Luckily we had some friends waiting for our arrival and to get this day started. We chose to start our day off with food and unlike my childhood I ate a piece of pizza. Many of you may be thinking I am a disgrace to Coney Island but how can a girl pass up some bargain pizza? After eating we explored the boardwalk and the various rides available in Luna Park. We captured some awesome pictures of rides such as the wonder wheel and none other than the Cyclone. The Cyclone is famous to Coney Island for its 85 feet tall wooden structure that has been available to adrenaline junkies since 1927 (ENY, 195). The historical significance of the cyclone is amazing but as a ride, it is not one for me to try. Unfortunately due to time restraints we weren’t able to ride or visit other areas of Coney Island but its only more of a reason to come back!
Next we were off on the F towards Brooklyn Heights. As we walked through Brooklyn we headed towards Schermerhorn Street to the Transit Museum. When we stopped to discuss the details about the museum I was shocked to see that we were actually there because it was just your typical subway entrance. I was amazed at how this whole museum had been put together and created, everything so closely depicting the subway stations we pass through every Friday. Our tour guide was great and truly educated us on why the underground subway station was created and how it was created. Did you know that in 1888 New York experienced the worst blizzard in the country, having snow accumulations greater than 50 inches causing all above ground transit to stop. It was the blizzard that caused New York to think of an alternative way to transport people and that was when the underground railroad was created (ENY,202). The best part of the museum was when we traveled to the subway platforms and walked through the antique subway cars. The older the car the better it was, from the wicker style seats to the old advertisements, it was amazing to be in something that my grandparents might have once traveled in.
Following the Transit Museum, we were off to explore some of the amazing architecture Brooklyn Heights had to offer. We visited the building of Brooklyn Borough Hall which is the oldest public building in Brooklyn. Its Greek revival structure along with the iconic columns are just beautiful and truly make the structure one for the books (ENY, 203). We continued to walk around Brooklyn Heights viewing churches and buildings with amazing architecture adding to just how amazing Brooklyn is. We finally reached the Brooklyn Heights Promenade where we over looked the water, Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. Directly below the Brooklyn bridge lies the dreadful BQE. The BQE was created by none other than Robert Moses in 1953 and ended up destructing the surrounding neighborhood making many New Yorkers not happy. From here we traveled to the Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo. I was amazed by the greenery and the jaw breaking views . As you walked throughout the park we reached Jane’s Carousel which is surrounded by a 9 million dollar transparent glass jewel box (ENY,208).It allows everyone to see the beautifully preserved carousel as well as protecting it all at once.
From there we traveled to a small ice cream parlor called Jacques Torre, where many indulged in some delicious treats before we trooped over the Brooklyn Bridge. As a person extremely terrified of heights, it took me a while to wrap my mind around the fact I would be walking above cars for 1.1 miles. As we started to walk over the bridge I was walking very fast just trying to bypass the people and make it over, but as time passed I began to slow down and take in the amazing scenery and architecture. Prior to the bridge being built the population traveled by ferry from Brooklyn to Manhattan but with any sort of bad weather it would throw the ferry system off completely. It took 14 years to build the bridge and 320 million in today’s dollars and was completed in 1883 ( ENY,208-209). Walking over the bridge is something I will NEVER forget and is something that all New Yorkers should do once in their lives. I loved taking in the structure of the bridge and the enormity of the suspension cables that make the bridge to appealing.
Thanks BK for the wonderful time , I look forward to maybe making you my home someday !!
Che che che Chelsea and The Village
The day started off a bit rocky..literally. I tripped over a huge rock and hurt my ankle and when I took off my boot it was completely black and blue. But being the trooper I am I continued on my way and began on my third journey of the Gotham New York Experience. As always I was eager to see what Chelsea and The Village had in store for us. Chelsea received its name after former estate of British army captain Thomas Clark. In 1750, Thomas Clark purchased 94 acres of land along the Hudson and when Clark passed it was handed down to his grandson who further developed the land creating stylish town homes. The homes in Chelsea have so much charm and style to New York City making it a well desired area to live and over (ENY, 83).
We started on our journey to Chelsea where we discovered the High Line. I’d say it is the best way to truly see what Chelsea is about. The High Line is an old converted street level freight line that ran right through the heart of Chelsea (ENY,84). The High Line is an amazing sight and truly captures the heart of what Chelsea is. When you walk along the metal pathway of the High Line you are greeted by luscious greenery and flowers just drawing you in. The buildings surrounding it are even more amazing and that are towering the High Line and add so much visual interest to the area, its hard not to love it. As we continued on our way we were all so enamored by the view we passed our exit and kept walking. We ended up having to back track and meet Mike a couple of blocks back.
After catching up with Mike we made our way to what Chelsea is most known for now a days and that is their art galleries. If you have tons of money and are looking for some pieces of art that are unconventional then man you must check out some of Chelsea’s galleries. A gallery is a space devoted to displaying artist’s pieces and selling them (ENY,85). We began gallery hoping and went into a couple of galleries. First we frolicked into the Mike Weiss Gallery featuring Tom Fruin. Tom Fruin had some interesting pieces of art that I really liked. There were a set of swings and this large stained glass/metal piece which were very interactive as well as interesting. We then entered the Jack Shainman Gallery featuring Nick Cave. Nick cave was an interesting fellow, having pieces of art with beads, birds, flowers, antique chairs and poodles. I wasn’t quite a fan of what he had to offer but hey to each there own. The next two galleries were my favorite of the day. I would consider the pieces of art they featured the most appealing of them all. The artist KwangHo Shin showed pieces of art that were “ under collapse” each piece was abstract yet you could understand what it was depicting. They were very colorful and bold each expressing its own process. Danese Corey was a sculpture who created things solely out of driftwood. I love driftwood so I was interested to see what was inside. The drift wood was manipulated into horses, each one showing the true beauty of the driftwood.
From there we walked throughout Chelsea looking at the various architecture in the city heading towards Greenwich Village. Greenwich village is one of the most delightful residential places. Back in the day Greenwich was once a rural suburb of the city that wealthy people longed to travel to but was not heavily populated. As yellow fever and cholera broke out many people traveled to unpopulated areas and settled there, one of them being Greenwich. As the population grew so did the buildings and architecture, creating beautiful row houses that inhabited the beautiful people of Greenwich (ENY,88). I loved seeing all the beautiful row houses, my favorite part being the wonderful front doors all the houses have they truly make the neighborhood so welcoming.
Walking throughout the beautiful neighborhoods we were greeted by a wonderful garden called The Jefferson Market Garden located in the West Village, which is technically just a larger part of Greenwich. The park was absolutely beautiful and looked as though there were vendors set up for people to go in and by. Unfortunately we did not go in but we learned about the West Village and how vibrant of a community it is. The West Village is an area largely populated by gay and lesbians. Christopher Street is a well-known area because right around it started the beginning of the Gay Rights movement. I am familiar with Christopher Street because for my friends sweet 16 we traveled to LIPS a local restaurant where drag queens sing and perform (ENY, 89-90). After going to LIPS we explored the area and we walked on Christopher Street, it was decorated with tons of Gay pride flags and all different groups of people. Unfortunately we did not get to travel to Christopher Street in class but I look forward to going back to LIPS and exploring the area some more.
We began our journey to Washington Square Park. It was here that we were greeted by a tree that is 300 years old and over 110 feet high. In the 19th century this tree was once used to hold public executions for those individuals who committed crimes (ENY,95). I would have to say as I entered the park I was a little concerned, there were some interesting gentlemen who were there whistling as the girls walked by. But the farther we walked through the park the more beautiful it was. My favorite part was Stanford White’s Washington Arch, it was completed in 1891 and was modeled after the Paris structure the Arc de Triomphe (ENY,95). It is absolutely beautiful and under it sat two wonderful musicians playing urban music.
Following the park we walked a little bit so we could grab a bite to eat. At this point I was pleased to grab some food and give my ankle a rest for I was in A LOT of pain. Kayla, Melanie and I grabbed some Mexican food at a local taquiera. I had a delicious salad with carne asada, it met every one of my requirements. From lunch we walked to the East Village. The East Village has one of the most interesting histories starting off in 1651 when New Amsteram Governor General Peter Stuyvesant purchased land which is now considered the East Village. By the 19th century the area around Astor Place became an area largely populated by wealthy people but as time passed rapid transformation of the area occurred causing more and more immigrants to take residence in the East Village (ENY,98). As we walked on Lafayette Street we were greeted by the Merchant’s House Museum. This museum was once the home of the Tredwell Family. The home was built in 1832 and was purchased for 18,000 dollars. The Tredwell’s inhabited this home for a very long time and all the rooms were perfectly preserved in true 19th century style. When we went through the museum we saw the lay out of the home and where the family spent most of their time. It was interesting to see that the family spent a lot of time downstairs in the basement by the kitchen. The tour guide allowed us to see they way they lived and how they communicated with the help by use of a bell system. He also stated that although these houses were very expensive they had no running water. We were also interested to hear that it is believed that the house is haunted by the youngest daughter Gertrude who sadly died in the home (ENY,99-100). From the museum we continued to walk through the East Village passing Cooper Union, which is a school for the advancement of science and art. The building is striking with a very modern form of architecture (ENY, 100). We continued walking towards Tompskins Square Park which is a tranquil, peaceful, and green space. But unfortunately this park was not once an area that was tranquil but was a place were tons of riots occurred. In 1991 the park was renovated making it impossible for the park to now hold any riots and from there forward the park is now a nice place to go and walk your dog (ENY,107).
As we finished up the day we walked towards the subway but unfortunately my ankle was hurting me so bad that my friend Mayra and I just hopped in a cab to Penn Station. Once in Penn we quickly hopped on the next train eager to get home and put our feet up.
The day started off a bit rocky..literally. I tripped over a huge rock and hurt my ankle and when I took off my boot it was completely black and blue. But being the trooper I am I continued on my way and began on my third journey of the Gotham New York Experience. As always I was eager to see what Chelsea and The Village had in store for us. Chelsea received its name after former estate of British army captain Thomas Clark. In 1750, Thomas Clark purchased 94 acres of land along the Hudson and when Clark passed it was handed down to his grandson who further developed the land creating stylish town homes. The homes in Chelsea have so much charm and style to New York City making it a well desired area to live and over (ENY, 83).
We started on our journey to Chelsea where we discovered the High Line. I’d say it is the best way to truly see what Chelsea is about. The High Line is an old converted street level freight line that ran right through the heart of Chelsea (ENY,84). The High Line is an amazing sight and truly captures the heart of what Chelsea is. When you walk along the metal pathway of the High Line you are greeted by luscious greenery and flowers just drawing you in. The buildings surrounding it are even more amazing and that are towering the High Line and add so much visual interest to the area, its hard not to love it. As we continued on our way we were all so enamored by the view we passed our exit and kept walking. We ended up having to back track and meet Mike a couple of blocks back.
After catching up with Mike we made our way to what Chelsea is most known for now a days and that is their art galleries. If you have tons of money and are looking for some pieces of art that are unconventional then man you must check out some of Chelsea’s galleries. A gallery is a space devoted to displaying artist’s pieces and selling them (ENY,85). We began gallery hoping and went into a couple of galleries. First we frolicked into the Mike Weiss Gallery featuring Tom Fruin. Tom Fruin had some interesting pieces of art that I really liked. There were a set of swings and this large stained glass/metal piece which were very interactive as well as interesting. We then entered the Jack Shainman Gallery featuring Nick Cave. Nick cave was an interesting fellow, having pieces of art with beads, birds, flowers, antique chairs and poodles. I wasn’t quite a fan of what he had to offer but hey to each there own. The next two galleries were my favorite of the day. I would consider the pieces of art they featured the most appealing of them all. The artist KwangHo Shin showed pieces of art that were “ under collapse” each piece was abstract yet you could understand what it was depicting. They were very colorful and bold each expressing its own process. Danese Corey was a sculpture who created things solely out of driftwood. I love driftwood so I was interested to see what was inside. The drift wood was manipulated into horses, each one showing the true beauty of the driftwood.
From there we walked throughout Chelsea looking at the various architecture in the city heading towards Greenwich Village. Greenwich village is one of the most delightful residential places. Back in the day Greenwich was once a rural suburb of the city that wealthy people longed to travel to but was not heavily populated. As yellow fever and cholera broke out many people traveled to unpopulated areas and settled there, one of them being Greenwich. As the population grew so did the buildings and architecture, creating beautiful row houses that inhabited the beautiful people of Greenwich (ENY,88). I loved seeing all the beautiful row houses, my favorite part being the wonderful front doors all the houses have they truly make the neighborhood so welcoming.
Walking throughout the beautiful neighborhoods we were greeted by a wonderful garden called The Jefferson Market Garden located in the West Village, which is technically just a larger part of Greenwich. The park was absolutely beautiful and looked as though there were vendors set up for people to go in and by. Unfortunately we did not go in but we learned about the West Village and how vibrant of a community it is. The West Village is an area largely populated by gay and lesbians. Christopher Street is a well-known area because right around it started the beginning of the Gay Rights movement. I am familiar with Christopher Street because for my friends sweet 16 we traveled to LIPS a local restaurant where drag queens sing and perform (ENY, 89-90). After going to LIPS we explored the area and we walked on Christopher Street, it was decorated with tons of Gay pride flags and all different groups of people. Unfortunately we did not get to travel to Christopher Street in class but I look forward to going back to LIPS and exploring the area some more.
We began our journey to Washington Square Park. It was here that we were greeted by a tree that is 300 years old and over 110 feet high. In the 19th century this tree was once used to hold public executions for those individuals who committed crimes (ENY,95). I would have to say as I entered the park I was a little concerned, there were some interesting gentlemen who were there whistling as the girls walked by. But the farther we walked through the park the more beautiful it was. My favorite part was Stanford White’s Washington Arch, it was completed in 1891 and was modeled after the Paris structure the Arc de Triomphe (ENY,95). It is absolutely beautiful and under it sat two wonderful musicians playing urban music.
Following the park we walked a little bit so we could grab a bite to eat. At this point I was pleased to grab some food and give my ankle a rest for I was in A LOT of pain. Kayla, Melanie and I grabbed some Mexican food at a local taquiera. I had a delicious salad with carne asada, it met every one of my requirements. From lunch we walked to the East Village. The East Village has one of the most interesting histories starting off in 1651 when New Amsteram Governor General Peter Stuyvesant purchased land which is now considered the East Village. By the 19th century the area around Astor Place became an area largely populated by wealthy people but as time passed rapid transformation of the area occurred causing more and more immigrants to take residence in the East Village (ENY,98). As we walked on Lafayette Street we were greeted by the Merchant’s House Museum. This museum was once the home of the Tredwell Family. The home was built in 1832 and was purchased for 18,000 dollars. The Tredwell’s inhabited this home for a very long time and all the rooms were perfectly preserved in true 19th century style. When we went through the museum we saw the lay out of the home and where the family spent most of their time. It was interesting to see that the family spent a lot of time downstairs in the basement by the kitchen. The tour guide allowed us to see they way they lived and how they communicated with the help by use of a bell system. He also stated that although these houses were very expensive they had no running water. We were also interested to hear that it is believed that the house is haunted by the youngest daughter Gertrude who sadly died in the home (ENY,99-100). From the museum we continued to walk through the East Village passing Cooper Union, which is a school for the advancement of science and art. The building is striking with a very modern form of architecture (ENY, 100). We continued walking towards Tompskins Square Park which is a tranquil, peaceful, and green space. But unfortunately this park was not once an area that was tranquil but was a place were tons of riots occurred. In 1991 the park was renovated making it impossible for the park to now hold any riots and from there forward the park is now a nice place to go and walk your dog (ENY,107).
As we finished up the day we walked towards the subway but unfortunately my ankle was hurting me so bad that my friend Mayra and I just hopped in a cab to Penn Station. Once in Penn we quickly hopped on the next train eager to get home and put our feet up.