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| Even the windows in NYC are art. |
We no sooner returned from Arizona and we were packing our bags for
New York City. No business involved, this trip was pure pleasure.
There is so much to see in the way of art, architecture and
entertainment in the city that never sleeps. Whether it’s classical
musicians busking in the subway, street performers in Times Square
or Willie Giese waving at you from the NBC studio window, the city
pulses with energy and creativity.
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Artist Jose de Creeft's bronze Alice, Mad Hatter and White Rabbit
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In early November, Central Park still glowed with Autumn color. Mild
temperatures most days allowed for walking mile after mile taking in
the sights and sounds unique to the city. You can find the past and
the future on every corner. Gleaming skyscrapers mingle with
century old Irish pubs. Art of every description and era is yours
to seek out. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Guggenheim were a
priority for me as I had missed visiting them on previous trips to
the city. There was so much to marvel at, the art museums will get
a blog post of their own.
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| NYC Public Library Natural History Museum St. Patrick's Cathedral |
Downtown we took the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island tour and visited
the 911 Memorial Museum. Walking from the Battery we saw Krista
Visbal's
Fearless Girl staring down the Wall Street
Charging
Bull. (The statue has since been removed and will be
relocated to the Stock Exchange.) The short walk to the 911
Memorial took us past Trinity Church that hosted George Washington
and miraculously survived the September 2001 attack. The church
yard has grave markers dating to the 1600s. Nearby the twin tower
footprint memorial fountains and underground museum are impressive
tributes to the more recent fallen.
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| Trinity Church and historic graveyard Oculus near September 11 Memorial |
Midtown, where we stayed, features Times Square and Rockefeller
Center. Both make for great people watching. On the NBC Studio tour
we saw the Nightly News, Saturday Night Live and Jimmy Fallon
studios. No photos were allowed. Tidbit: those seats on the floor
in front of the SNL stage are for studio insiders and friends of the
host or musical guest. Public seating in a balcony does not allow
access to the stage. If you get tour tickets on a
Friday, you may catch a glimpse of a rehearsal. While we scored
stand-by tickets for the Tonight Show, we did not make the cut.
Securing tickets to any of the numerous television shows that tape
in the city is a goal for our next trip. They are free. We did
catch a Broadway show, but, alas, it was
not free.
My husband remembers visiting NYC in his youth during a long garbage
strike. The piles of trash lining the streets towered above his
head. This trip made a better impression. The city was preparing
for the holidays with the Rockefeller tree arriving while we were
there. Shop windows sparkled and spirits were high. Multiple
languages were spoken with French prominent on the ferry ride to see
the Statue of Liberty, a gift of the their country. New York City is
a mix of old and new, a mix of people and experiences. Everywhere
you turn, there is something to do. We just scratched the surface
on this visit and look forward to returning.
