Anne Mitchell Illustration

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.

Artist Jose de Creeft's bronze Alice, Mad Hatter and White Rabbit

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.

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.

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.