Journal 1
Impressions of New York
New York City is probably the most diverse and exciting city on the planet. It is a bonanza for the senses and is overflowing with amazing thrills and unique wonders. My feelings about the city were relatively negative before my first visit but changed dramatically throughout the course of my first visit. Since then, not only did I grow to love New York City but some of my most cherished memories have been made there.
I was only about 8 or 9 when I first went to New York City and I was terribly nervous about how I would fair in such a big, active place. I got off the train and entered Penn Station where I was far from impressed. There were people everywhere, it was so dirty that I could feel the dirt in the air, and on top of that it was so unnecessarily noisy. I immediately regretted agreeing to go see the Lion King on Broadway but as they say “the show must go on.” My friend, her mom, my mom, and I made our way through the jungle that is Penn Station up to 7th avenue where the fresh air was wonderfully refreshing. As soon as my foot touched city ground, a discarded newspaper smashed into my face and completely obscured my view. It was not a good start to the day. I had already silently decreed that the city was the worst place to be in the universe and that I would never return.
After I took the newspaper off of my head, I saw the breathtaking NYC skyline in the distance. I simply could not believe my eyes and I realized that the city was not the horrific messy jungle of wild people that I initially thought it was. I began to understand that the city was an incredible, special place. No where else in the world could a sight like this be seen. I was enthralled by the landscape and all of the things going on around me. The buildings sparked my curiosity and I wondered how people were able to build such giant buildings. I thought about how pretty the horizon must look while the sun is going down. I thought about what Times Square, Central Park, and the rest of the city would look like. Suddenly, I could not wait to explore New York City.
We had gone to see an early performance of the Lion King so that we could spend the rest of the day in NYC. Since I am an enthusiast for all things Disney, the Lion King was an absolute treasure and a wonderful introduction to the world of Broadway. We spent some time shopping in Times Square where I was captivated by all of the flashing lights, street entertainers, and stores which surrounded me. Times Square seemed like the center of the city’s nonstop action and I thought that this spot was basically all there was to the city. I did not mind, however, since I was having so much fun observing all of the activity.
After our walk through Times Square we made our way to the area where the 9/11 tragedy had taken place. At the time of my visit, there were fences up around the wreckage which had storyboards posted about that fatal day. This was a deeply touching experience where I was able to pay my respects for the victims and heroes who had lost their lives. I felt a strong sense of pride for America as a whole and the Americans who joined with one another to overcome the disaster. It was while I was standing in front of Ground Zero that I had an epiphany about the city. I realized that NYC was not just a location for shopping, eating, and being entertained but that the city was also a location for learning about, preserving, and even celebrating history.
I have visited New York City quite a few times since then and have made so many great memories with friends and family there. I have managed to see several other Broadway shows which include Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, Hair, Chicago, Green Day’s American Idiot, and a rendition of Alice in Wonderland. Even though the entire city is wonderful, Central Park happens to be my favorite place to explore. With each visit, I make sure I get a picture sitting on the giant mushroom of the Alice in Wonderland statue. It is a delightfully whimsical structure featuring many of my favorite characters from the books Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. One of my favorite things to do in the city is eat at all of the great restaurants. Another favorite location of mine in the city is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I have visited the museum twice and still have not managed to see everything in their infinite collection of art and artifacts from all over the world.
New York City is the only place in the world where a visitor will be able to experience entertainment, fun, adventure, diversity, and history all at the same time. It offers visitor’s experiences which cannot be found anywhere else. The city has many sides, one which is fast paced and glamorous and another which is more laid back and enriching. In either case, New York City is a wonderful place to make memories and have fun in a way that can only be done in NYC. At first, the city seemed intimidating and chaotic, but upon exploring different parts of the city I realized that the city is both beautiful and exciting.
I was only about 8 or 9 when I first went to New York City and I was terribly nervous about how I would fair in such a big, active place. I got off the train and entered Penn Station where I was far from impressed. There were people everywhere, it was so dirty that I could feel the dirt in the air, and on top of that it was so unnecessarily noisy. I immediately regretted agreeing to go see the Lion King on Broadway but as they say “the show must go on.” My friend, her mom, my mom, and I made our way through the jungle that is Penn Station up to 7th avenue where the fresh air was wonderfully refreshing. As soon as my foot touched city ground, a discarded newspaper smashed into my face and completely obscured my view. It was not a good start to the day. I had already silently decreed that the city was the worst place to be in the universe and that I would never return.
After I took the newspaper off of my head, I saw the breathtaking NYC skyline in the distance. I simply could not believe my eyes and I realized that the city was not the horrific messy jungle of wild people that I initially thought it was. I began to understand that the city was an incredible, special place. No where else in the world could a sight like this be seen. I was enthralled by the landscape and all of the things going on around me. The buildings sparked my curiosity and I wondered how people were able to build such giant buildings. I thought about how pretty the horizon must look while the sun is going down. I thought about what Times Square, Central Park, and the rest of the city would look like. Suddenly, I could not wait to explore New York City.
We had gone to see an early performance of the Lion King so that we could spend the rest of the day in NYC. Since I am an enthusiast for all things Disney, the Lion King was an absolute treasure and a wonderful introduction to the world of Broadway. We spent some time shopping in Times Square where I was captivated by all of the flashing lights, street entertainers, and stores which surrounded me. Times Square seemed like the center of the city’s nonstop action and I thought that this spot was basically all there was to the city. I did not mind, however, since I was having so much fun observing all of the activity.
After our walk through Times Square we made our way to the area where the 9/11 tragedy had taken place. At the time of my visit, there were fences up around the wreckage which had storyboards posted about that fatal day. This was a deeply touching experience where I was able to pay my respects for the victims and heroes who had lost their lives. I felt a strong sense of pride for America as a whole and the Americans who joined with one another to overcome the disaster. It was while I was standing in front of Ground Zero that I had an epiphany about the city. I realized that NYC was not just a location for shopping, eating, and being entertained but that the city was also a location for learning about, preserving, and even celebrating history.
I have visited New York City quite a few times since then and have made so many great memories with friends and family there. I have managed to see several other Broadway shows which include Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, Hair, Chicago, Green Day’s American Idiot, and a rendition of Alice in Wonderland. Even though the entire city is wonderful, Central Park happens to be my favorite place to explore. With each visit, I make sure I get a picture sitting on the giant mushroom of the Alice in Wonderland statue. It is a delightfully whimsical structure featuring many of my favorite characters from the books Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. One of my favorite things to do in the city is eat at all of the great restaurants. Another favorite location of mine in the city is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I have visited the museum twice and still have not managed to see everything in their infinite collection of art and artifacts from all over the world.
New York City is the only place in the world where a visitor will be able to experience entertainment, fun, adventure, diversity, and history all at the same time. It offers visitor’s experiences which cannot be found anywhere else. The city has many sides, one which is fast paced and glamorous and another which is more laid back and enriching. In either case, New York City is a wonderful place to make memories and have fun in a way that can only be done in NYC. At first, the city seemed intimidating and chaotic, but upon exploring different parts of the city I realized that the city is both beautiful and exciting.
Journal 2
Quixotic Queens
Blasting Irish Rover by the Dropkick Murphy’s is never a bad way to begin the day. This is what I decided on the train into Penn Station, despite only discovering the song the day before. I took the 9:15am train in and arrived in the city at around 10:00am, an entire hour early. I decided to wander outside for a while and take in the tiny area surrounding Madison Square Garden. I have been in this spot countless times before so I got bored out there pretty fast. My boredom caused me to start people watching for entertainment, which is always fun to do, especially in New York City, and observing the world around me intently to pass the time. I spotted two pigeons that were approaching fast and oddly enough it seemed as though they were the ones watching me. I moved my location and they followed, a sudden ping of nervousness made me feel as though the pigeons knew I had food in my bad and that their intent was to attack. A smaller brown bird, who I suppose was a friend of the pigeons, saved me from whatever the pigeons were planning. The small brown bird found food in the flower bed behind me, which had no flowers in it, and all the birds switched focus and forgot all about me. I then turned my attention to the street and all of the city noise. No matter how many times I witness it with my own eyes, the amount of traffic and activity going on in the city at any time still amazes me. Not only was it not even 10 in the morning but Long Island rarely sees traffic like that even on a busy weekend, unless its rush hour on the parkway or there is a roadblock up ahead.
I watched a guy scare pedestrians as he projected his delusions violently onto 7th Avenue. Normally I would not find this strange, just interesting, since incidents like this are not a rare occurrence in the city but the event was very strange! It was strange because although the man was violently yelling, I knew he was actually singing. He passed by and that seemed like a good moment to check the time, in case he decided to come back and terrifyingly serenade the block some more. Finally, it was time to go meet the class so I made my way back down into Penn towards the class meeting spot. I got very nervous when Mike and Meritta, the class instructors, were talking about how many subway trains we would have to take. Subway rides terrify me! My logic does not totally make sense but I feel more comfortable falling through the ground, in a regular train, than having the ground fall on top of me, in a subway train. It is a constant fear of mine while I am sitting in a subway car. Although the train to get into Penn Plaza does go under a river, and you would think that would pose a problem for me, it does not bother me all that much. After agreeing with myself that I would face the subway ride conundrum as it happened, which turned out not being as bad as I thought it would be, we began our adventure into the city.
We first walked to Bryant Park, located next to the New York Public Library, to learn a little bit about the park and discuss the course. I immediately noted how absolutely adorable the park was. There was a grassy field in the back, closest to the library, where people were lounging and soaking in the day. There were two places to eat and lots of tables and chairs to sit at. There was a small miniature golf course where a family consisting of two young boys, who were most likely twins appearing to be around 5 or 6 years old, and their mother were playing. It was sad because as we walked by, one of the boys was watching us leave and despite his age I could tell he was rolling his eyes and saying “ugh, tourists.” I wondered if he would get sick of the busy city life and the constant tourists making daily life difficult and hate the city by the time he gets to my age. I know I would not be able to take it every single day. While the class was sitting and discussing the classes we had ahead of us I looked behind me and noticed a small carousel ride. I found myself comparing Bryant Park to a small family friendly carnival. This association I had just made wound up making the news regarding the history of Bryant Park all the more shocking. The Blue Book Guide (2008) refers to the park as a “haven for drug dealers and muggers.” Bryant Park was a major location for drug dealing and drug use in the 1970’s and 1980’s but a visitor would never think that the park would have such a dark past looking at it now.
Afterwards, we made our way to the New York Public Library, a structure which I recognized from the film The Day After Tomorrow. The movie is an epic disaster film about the end of the world and a group of people who fight to survive within the walls of the library. There is a striking scene in the film where the main character is running up the front steps and into the library through the main entrance for refuge as a giant tidal wave races forward, destroying everything in its path. Throughout the course of the film there are excellent shots of the library’s interior as they search for books to burn for warmth. Ever since I saw this movie for the first time, the New York Library has been a top priority on my list of places I would like to visit but unfortunately never made it to. The entrance to the library is striking in appearance, giving off both a welcoming but intimidating vibe, and is guarded by two majestic, fierce lions. The lions were appointed names by Mayor Fiorello la Guardia who delegated the lion on the south side Patience and the lion on the north side Fortitude (Blue Guide, 2008). Although every major landmark in the city is a tourist spot, I was still surprised to discover how touristy the library actually was. There were people everywhere taking pictures and observing the structure in awe. While it is a beautiful, historic building that deserves to be revered at, the fact that people were flocking to a library in such a fashion seemed foreign even despite the fact that I was doing it myself. The inside of the building gave the impression of being a royal castle rather than a library. There was a very regal atmosphere about the place and proof of this is evidenced by the architecture and art which decorated the walls and ceilings.
As we made our way through the city we stopped in several locations to discuss city architecture, specifically art deco and neoclassical. Art deco buildings, such as the Chrysler building, represented a futuristic concept of architecture. The New York library is considered a neoclassical architectural structure. We made our way to the Grand Central Terminal, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, another spot which I have always wanted to visit. Although the terminal once reached to both Mississippi and New England, it today only covers the blocks from 42nd street to 45th street (Blue Book Guide, 2008). I found the sculpture on top of the building to be incredibly beautiful. The sculpture titled Transportation was created by Jules-Felix Coutan and displays the mythological gods Mercury as a symbol of commerce, Hercules as a symbol of physical energy, and Minerva as a symbol of intellectual energy (Blue Book Guide, 2008). The ceiling inside the station is a painting of the stars in the sky by Whitney Warren, Paul Helleu and Charles Basting, which is rumored to be a depiction of the stars from God’s perspective (Blue Book Guide, 2008).
In order to make our way to Roosevelt Island we had to board the tram, which I had never been on before. I had not thought about it too much earlier in the day but as soon as we walked up to it and I realized that we would be suspended hundreds of feet above the world trapped in a glass box surrounded by strangers, I started to feel a lump in my throat. When I get nervous I usually start laughing so I had a bit of a giggle fit and kept saying things like “Oh my god, I cannot believe this,” “This is so not for me,” and my personal favorite “I’m totally fine,” which I say often when I am out of my comfort zone and is more of a reassurance statement than an actual declaration of how I am feeling. Once the tram started moving I felt a little better. It was a very peaceful ride and I regretted not trying to get a spot by the window so that I could see straight out. When the tram reached its peak and the river-city landscape could be seen perfectly I raced over to a window to look outside and snap as many pictures as possible. Although it was a pleasant ride, I was quite relieved once we landed at our destination. At Roosevelt Island we visited the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park and walked passed a hospital which was once an old penitentiary, and what looked like a castle but was actually an abandoned school for nursing. We then went to lunch and I had my first experience with Indian cuisine and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I enjoyed some of it.
The class then proceeded towards Astoria, where my dad grew up, and came out on Steinway Street close to Kauffman Astoria Studios. It was next to Kauffman studios that we visited the Museum of Moving Image, one of my favorite locations of the day. Our guest speaker gave us some information on the location and on Kaufman studios. She stated that the studio company opened during the 1920’s under a different name and was the location for many motion pictures. The studio was taken over during WWII by the US government who used the studios for propaganda films and army instruction videos. After the war the area was basically abandoned until the studio was reopened and declared Kauffman studios during the 1970’s. The Blue Book (2008, pg. 499) states that the Kauffman studios “is the most successful film-making property on the East Coast.” The speaker also addressed the fact that the Kauffman studios location was essentially Hollywood before Hollywood. She explained that the epicenter of the film industry moved to California mainly due to their optimal weather conditions since it is typically warm and sunny there. I was both surprised and ecstatic to find out that New York had a Hollywood type filming setup that was continuing to this day. The film industry has always been alluring for me. I am a big fan of movies, particularly horror movies and Disney movies (which I am aware is a strange combination) and have always imagined myself taking part in a movie production. I have had dreams since I was little, after I saw Anne Hathaway in Princess Diaries, of acting and being praised for my talent but after an unfortunate stint during my sixth grade production of Annie, I shied away from the stage. I wish I would not have done so, however, because I find it enriching to be someone other than me, even if and especially if the person I am being is fictional. Acting is a big game of pretend where you get to try on different personalities as if they were Halloween costumes! It is something I believe I would enjoy very much if I attempted it again.
I was utterly thrilled when we were allowed to peruse the museum at our own leisure for a while. I came across a few horror movie props on display that left me in awe including Freddy Krueger’s glove and a giant sweater, used in Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (I was proud of myself for knowing which in the series the giant sweater prop was from even before looking at the information board beneath it) and a mechanical Reagan from the movie The Exorcist. My first thought as I made a giddy speed walk over to the Nightmare on Elm Street display was “I did not realize Robert Englund (the actor who played Freddy Krueger) was so fat!” I am kidding, of course, but I did think to myself, “Why on Earth is that sweater so big?” I then read the caption below the items which explained that the giant sweater was used for a special effect in the movie. There is a scene in the film where all of the innocent souls Freddy Krueger had collected began to pop out of his chest and slowly kill him and the sweater was used for shots of the protruding angry spirits. The scene was mechanical, rather than a product of Computer Graphic Imaging (CGI), and the chest was made from a type of stretchable rubber to give the illusion that people were emerging from within Freddy’s stomach. The Reagan dummy from the Exorcist film was mechanical and used during the scene where her head makes a 360 degree turn around the room. Staring at the figure gave me a creepy feeling. Although the doll was fake it looked very real and part of me was expecting its head to start spinning before my very eyes. At the end of head spin in the movie Reagan smiles evilly and the information board beneath the frightening figure explained that the smile was captured by superimposing a picture of Linda Blaire (the actress who played Reagan) in full makeup and smiling on top of the dummy to give the impression that a smile took place. Underneath both of these props were film clips from both movies displaying how the props were utilized during the film. Despite knowing how the scene was filmed, it was still nearly impossible to tell watching the scene that the effects being used were simply props.
There was an exhibition going on while the class was at the Museum of Moving Image titled Persol Magnificent Obsessions: 30 Stories of Craftsmanship in Film where Jackie, a fellow classmate, and I had an interesting encounter with a Hunter S. Thompson Fan. While there were many films on display in the Obsessions exhibit, I found myself gravitating towards movies I was familiar with and the only two I knew were Bram Stalkers Dracula and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The Bram Stalkers Dracula portion of the exhibit displayed gorgeous costumes from the movie and the designer’s sketches of what the outfits should look like. The movie, starring Winona Rider and Keanu Reeves, is simply a classic in my eyes and was made even better due to the fashion in the film. To see the clothing that up close and to be able to take in all of the details on the costumes was astonishing. Over by the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas display I saw many props featured in the movie including hats and shirts worn by Johnny Depp in the movie, a tape recorder, a set of keys, an envelope and a letter page which said Mint on it, a notebook, a pair of shoes, a sun visor, a typewriter, a cigarette box, and one used cigarette prop. There were also pictures of Johnny Depp getting his head shaved by Hunter S. Thompson in preparation of his role as Hunter S. Thompson. I was making a comment to Jackie in relation to how I did not totally enjoy the movie, only half joking that a main reason for this was because I could not stand to look at the gorgeous Johnny Depp bald. A fan of the movie and a Thompson enthusiast overheard my comment and was compelled to try and change my mind. He even gave us insightful information about Depp and Thompson’s friendship and informed us that Depp even moved in with Thompson to better understand the man he was going to portray. The man talking to us was so sincere that I may actually try to watch the movie again. I must say that I wish I had got the man’s name. I have a feeling that I will never forget that moment and it would be nicer if I could refer to him as “Rick” or “Bill” rather than “the man.” Besides the obvious reasons, I think it is very important to know the names of people you are talking to, especially if they are going to have a place in your memories.
Long Island City was our next destination but at this point the bag I was carrying was crushing my shoulders and I honestly did not think that anything could impress me after seeing the Museum of Moving Image so I was basically done with the day and ready to crawl straight into bed. I was then proven wrong and was shaken awake by the sight of the Five Pointz, a sanctuary for graffiti artists and their talent. My eyes widened at the sight of some of the coolest images I have ever seen. The best art that is created and that has been created is spontaneous, captivating, controversial, and is both crafted and executed flawlessly. The graffiti art at this location does all of these things. In addition to those characteristics, each depiction is made with spray paint which seems as though it would be a rather difficult tool to use while creating such precise, detailed images. I do not believe words can accurately describe how incredible the whole building actually is. Graffiti has always been considered rather taboo, since it is typically illegal and regarded as an act of vandalism. This was a detail that I could not overlook, and something that actually made Five Pointz even more appealing to me. The fact that something so rejected by society could find a home was refreshing. This gave the structure an even deeper meaning. Another detail I noted about Five Pointz which made the location extra remarkable is that even though the paintings on the structure were completed by various artists over years and years of time, each individual piece appears to connect and form one extraordinary entity, one giant canvas reflecting the theme of society and sending the message that culture and beauty can be found where it is least expected.
While walking down the block and examining the area the class bumped into some artists at work who go by the names Swiggz and Stress. Stress was on a ladder with his headphones on concentrating on the image he was creating of an evil looking smiling man with pointy, jagged teeth. The artist duo was friendly, enthusiastic, and seemed excited to have an interested audience. Swiggz was telling us about a man who was on the roof of the building working on a project that he originally started during the 1970’s. I would have loved to have made my way up to the roof to see what that artist was so dedicated to completing. I am sure it must be incredible. It was then brought to my attention that the gentrification of Long Island City is threatening the Five Pointz and that there is a good chance the structure will not be standing at this time next year. I was devastated when I found out that there is a plan in consideration to take down the graffiti artist refuge. I felt as though I was more upset about the plans for the location than Swiggz was who continues to stand tall despite knowing that his art may one day be taken down saying that “things don’t last forever.” Some people may not consider graffiti to be an art form and may see it only as an act of vandalism but the true nature and the beauty of graffiti art is alive and well at Five Pointz. I hope that there is a change of heart and that the building will keep strong for many years, bringing in aspiring artists and admirers from all over New York and possibly from throughout the world. Unfortunately, the spare batteries I brought with me were not charged (because I forgot to plug the charger into the wall after putting the batteries in the charger to be, well, charged) and so I did not get as many photos as I would have liked of the Five Pointz which serves as even more motivation for me to return to the spot before it is gone forever.
We walked to the edge of Long Island City to the very vintage looking Pepsi Cola sign, which we were able to see earlier from the other side of the river at the Four Freedoms Park, and then made our way to the Gantry Park. When I first saw the Gantries I could care less what they did or why they were there but I was happy I got to learn about them after I found out more about the structures. Next week I am excited for Coney Island! I was there during the summer and I have been dying to take another trip there to ride the Cyclone, specially, since it was not opened when I was there. I am looking forward to the rest of the class sessions in NYC, although I am hoping we will not have to go on as many subway rides as this week.
I watched a guy scare pedestrians as he projected his delusions violently onto 7th Avenue. Normally I would not find this strange, just interesting, since incidents like this are not a rare occurrence in the city but the event was very strange! It was strange because although the man was violently yelling, I knew he was actually singing. He passed by and that seemed like a good moment to check the time, in case he decided to come back and terrifyingly serenade the block some more. Finally, it was time to go meet the class so I made my way back down into Penn towards the class meeting spot. I got very nervous when Mike and Meritta, the class instructors, were talking about how many subway trains we would have to take. Subway rides terrify me! My logic does not totally make sense but I feel more comfortable falling through the ground, in a regular train, than having the ground fall on top of me, in a subway train. It is a constant fear of mine while I am sitting in a subway car. Although the train to get into Penn Plaza does go under a river, and you would think that would pose a problem for me, it does not bother me all that much. After agreeing with myself that I would face the subway ride conundrum as it happened, which turned out not being as bad as I thought it would be, we began our adventure into the city.
We first walked to Bryant Park, located next to the New York Public Library, to learn a little bit about the park and discuss the course. I immediately noted how absolutely adorable the park was. There was a grassy field in the back, closest to the library, where people were lounging and soaking in the day. There were two places to eat and lots of tables and chairs to sit at. There was a small miniature golf course where a family consisting of two young boys, who were most likely twins appearing to be around 5 or 6 years old, and their mother were playing. It was sad because as we walked by, one of the boys was watching us leave and despite his age I could tell he was rolling his eyes and saying “ugh, tourists.” I wondered if he would get sick of the busy city life and the constant tourists making daily life difficult and hate the city by the time he gets to my age. I know I would not be able to take it every single day. While the class was sitting and discussing the classes we had ahead of us I looked behind me and noticed a small carousel ride. I found myself comparing Bryant Park to a small family friendly carnival. This association I had just made wound up making the news regarding the history of Bryant Park all the more shocking. The Blue Book Guide (2008) refers to the park as a “haven for drug dealers and muggers.” Bryant Park was a major location for drug dealing and drug use in the 1970’s and 1980’s but a visitor would never think that the park would have such a dark past looking at it now.
Afterwards, we made our way to the New York Public Library, a structure which I recognized from the film The Day After Tomorrow. The movie is an epic disaster film about the end of the world and a group of people who fight to survive within the walls of the library. There is a striking scene in the film where the main character is running up the front steps and into the library through the main entrance for refuge as a giant tidal wave races forward, destroying everything in its path. Throughout the course of the film there are excellent shots of the library’s interior as they search for books to burn for warmth. Ever since I saw this movie for the first time, the New York Library has been a top priority on my list of places I would like to visit but unfortunately never made it to. The entrance to the library is striking in appearance, giving off both a welcoming but intimidating vibe, and is guarded by two majestic, fierce lions. The lions were appointed names by Mayor Fiorello la Guardia who delegated the lion on the south side Patience and the lion on the north side Fortitude (Blue Guide, 2008). Although every major landmark in the city is a tourist spot, I was still surprised to discover how touristy the library actually was. There were people everywhere taking pictures and observing the structure in awe. While it is a beautiful, historic building that deserves to be revered at, the fact that people were flocking to a library in such a fashion seemed foreign even despite the fact that I was doing it myself. The inside of the building gave the impression of being a royal castle rather than a library. There was a very regal atmosphere about the place and proof of this is evidenced by the architecture and art which decorated the walls and ceilings.
As we made our way through the city we stopped in several locations to discuss city architecture, specifically art deco and neoclassical. Art deco buildings, such as the Chrysler building, represented a futuristic concept of architecture. The New York library is considered a neoclassical architectural structure. We made our way to the Grand Central Terminal, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, another spot which I have always wanted to visit. Although the terminal once reached to both Mississippi and New England, it today only covers the blocks from 42nd street to 45th street (Blue Book Guide, 2008). I found the sculpture on top of the building to be incredibly beautiful. The sculpture titled Transportation was created by Jules-Felix Coutan and displays the mythological gods Mercury as a symbol of commerce, Hercules as a symbol of physical energy, and Minerva as a symbol of intellectual energy (Blue Book Guide, 2008). The ceiling inside the station is a painting of the stars in the sky by Whitney Warren, Paul Helleu and Charles Basting, which is rumored to be a depiction of the stars from God’s perspective (Blue Book Guide, 2008).
In order to make our way to Roosevelt Island we had to board the tram, which I had never been on before. I had not thought about it too much earlier in the day but as soon as we walked up to it and I realized that we would be suspended hundreds of feet above the world trapped in a glass box surrounded by strangers, I started to feel a lump in my throat. When I get nervous I usually start laughing so I had a bit of a giggle fit and kept saying things like “Oh my god, I cannot believe this,” “This is so not for me,” and my personal favorite “I’m totally fine,” which I say often when I am out of my comfort zone and is more of a reassurance statement than an actual declaration of how I am feeling. Once the tram started moving I felt a little better. It was a very peaceful ride and I regretted not trying to get a spot by the window so that I could see straight out. When the tram reached its peak and the river-city landscape could be seen perfectly I raced over to a window to look outside and snap as many pictures as possible. Although it was a pleasant ride, I was quite relieved once we landed at our destination. At Roosevelt Island we visited the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park and walked passed a hospital which was once an old penitentiary, and what looked like a castle but was actually an abandoned school for nursing. We then went to lunch and I had my first experience with Indian cuisine and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that I enjoyed some of it.
The class then proceeded towards Astoria, where my dad grew up, and came out on Steinway Street close to Kauffman Astoria Studios. It was next to Kauffman studios that we visited the Museum of Moving Image, one of my favorite locations of the day. Our guest speaker gave us some information on the location and on Kaufman studios. She stated that the studio company opened during the 1920’s under a different name and was the location for many motion pictures. The studio was taken over during WWII by the US government who used the studios for propaganda films and army instruction videos. After the war the area was basically abandoned until the studio was reopened and declared Kauffman studios during the 1970’s. The Blue Book (2008, pg. 499) states that the Kauffman studios “is the most successful film-making property on the East Coast.” The speaker also addressed the fact that the Kauffman studios location was essentially Hollywood before Hollywood. She explained that the epicenter of the film industry moved to California mainly due to their optimal weather conditions since it is typically warm and sunny there. I was both surprised and ecstatic to find out that New York had a Hollywood type filming setup that was continuing to this day. The film industry has always been alluring for me. I am a big fan of movies, particularly horror movies and Disney movies (which I am aware is a strange combination) and have always imagined myself taking part in a movie production. I have had dreams since I was little, after I saw Anne Hathaway in Princess Diaries, of acting and being praised for my talent but after an unfortunate stint during my sixth grade production of Annie, I shied away from the stage. I wish I would not have done so, however, because I find it enriching to be someone other than me, even if and especially if the person I am being is fictional. Acting is a big game of pretend where you get to try on different personalities as if they were Halloween costumes! It is something I believe I would enjoy very much if I attempted it again.
I was utterly thrilled when we were allowed to peruse the museum at our own leisure for a while. I came across a few horror movie props on display that left me in awe including Freddy Krueger’s glove and a giant sweater, used in Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (I was proud of myself for knowing which in the series the giant sweater prop was from even before looking at the information board beneath it) and a mechanical Reagan from the movie The Exorcist. My first thought as I made a giddy speed walk over to the Nightmare on Elm Street display was “I did not realize Robert Englund (the actor who played Freddy Krueger) was so fat!” I am kidding, of course, but I did think to myself, “Why on Earth is that sweater so big?” I then read the caption below the items which explained that the giant sweater was used for a special effect in the movie. There is a scene in the film where all of the innocent souls Freddy Krueger had collected began to pop out of his chest and slowly kill him and the sweater was used for shots of the protruding angry spirits. The scene was mechanical, rather than a product of Computer Graphic Imaging (CGI), and the chest was made from a type of stretchable rubber to give the illusion that people were emerging from within Freddy’s stomach. The Reagan dummy from the Exorcist film was mechanical and used during the scene where her head makes a 360 degree turn around the room. Staring at the figure gave me a creepy feeling. Although the doll was fake it looked very real and part of me was expecting its head to start spinning before my very eyes. At the end of head spin in the movie Reagan smiles evilly and the information board beneath the frightening figure explained that the smile was captured by superimposing a picture of Linda Blaire (the actress who played Reagan) in full makeup and smiling on top of the dummy to give the impression that a smile took place. Underneath both of these props were film clips from both movies displaying how the props were utilized during the film. Despite knowing how the scene was filmed, it was still nearly impossible to tell watching the scene that the effects being used were simply props.
There was an exhibition going on while the class was at the Museum of Moving Image titled Persol Magnificent Obsessions: 30 Stories of Craftsmanship in Film where Jackie, a fellow classmate, and I had an interesting encounter with a Hunter S. Thompson Fan. While there were many films on display in the Obsessions exhibit, I found myself gravitating towards movies I was familiar with and the only two I knew were Bram Stalkers Dracula and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The Bram Stalkers Dracula portion of the exhibit displayed gorgeous costumes from the movie and the designer’s sketches of what the outfits should look like. The movie, starring Winona Rider and Keanu Reeves, is simply a classic in my eyes and was made even better due to the fashion in the film. To see the clothing that up close and to be able to take in all of the details on the costumes was astonishing. Over by the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas display I saw many props featured in the movie including hats and shirts worn by Johnny Depp in the movie, a tape recorder, a set of keys, an envelope and a letter page which said Mint on it, a notebook, a pair of shoes, a sun visor, a typewriter, a cigarette box, and one used cigarette prop. There were also pictures of Johnny Depp getting his head shaved by Hunter S. Thompson in preparation of his role as Hunter S. Thompson. I was making a comment to Jackie in relation to how I did not totally enjoy the movie, only half joking that a main reason for this was because I could not stand to look at the gorgeous Johnny Depp bald. A fan of the movie and a Thompson enthusiast overheard my comment and was compelled to try and change my mind. He even gave us insightful information about Depp and Thompson’s friendship and informed us that Depp even moved in with Thompson to better understand the man he was going to portray. The man talking to us was so sincere that I may actually try to watch the movie again. I must say that I wish I had got the man’s name. I have a feeling that I will never forget that moment and it would be nicer if I could refer to him as “Rick” or “Bill” rather than “the man.” Besides the obvious reasons, I think it is very important to know the names of people you are talking to, especially if they are going to have a place in your memories.
Long Island City was our next destination but at this point the bag I was carrying was crushing my shoulders and I honestly did not think that anything could impress me after seeing the Museum of Moving Image so I was basically done with the day and ready to crawl straight into bed. I was then proven wrong and was shaken awake by the sight of the Five Pointz, a sanctuary for graffiti artists and their talent. My eyes widened at the sight of some of the coolest images I have ever seen. The best art that is created and that has been created is spontaneous, captivating, controversial, and is both crafted and executed flawlessly. The graffiti art at this location does all of these things. In addition to those characteristics, each depiction is made with spray paint which seems as though it would be a rather difficult tool to use while creating such precise, detailed images. I do not believe words can accurately describe how incredible the whole building actually is. Graffiti has always been considered rather taboo, since it is typically illegal and regarded as an act of vandalism. This was a detail that I could not overlook, and something that actually made Five Pointz even more appealing to me. The fact that something so rejected by society could find a home was refreshing. This gave the structure an even deeper meaning. Another detail I noted about Five Pointz which made the location extra remarkable is that even though the paintings on the structure were completed by various artists over years and years of time, each individual piece appears to connect and form one extraordinary entity, one giant canvas reflecting the theme of society and sending the message that culture and beauty can be found where it is least expected.
While walking down the block and examining the area the class bumped into some artists at work who go by the names Swiggz and Stress. Stress was on a ladder with his headphones on concentrating on the image he was creating of an evil looking smiling man with pointy, jagged teeth. The artist duo was friendly, enthusiastic, and seemed excited to have an interested audience. Swiggz was telling us about a man who was on the roof of the building working on a project that he originally started during the 1970’s. I would have loved to have made my way up to the roof to see what that artist was so dedicated to completing. I am sure it must be incredible. It was then brought to my attention that the gentrification of Long Island City is threatening the Five Pointz and that there is a good chance the structure will not be standing at this time next year. I was devastated when I found out that there is a plan in consideration to take down the graffiti artist refuge. I felt as though I was more upset about the plans for the location than Swiggz was who continues to stand tall despite knowing that his art may one day be taken down saying that “things don’t last forever.” Some people may not consider graffiti to be an art form and may see it only as an act of vandalism but the true nature and the beauty of graffiti art is alive and well at Five Pointz. I hope that there is a change of heart and that the building will keep strong for many years, bringing in aspiring artists and admirers from all over New York and possibly from throughout the world. Unfortunately, the spare batteries I brought with me were not charged (because I forgot to plug the charger into the wall after putting the batteries in the charger to be, well, charged) and so I did not get as many photos as I would have liked of the Five Pointz which serves as even more motivation for me to return to the spot before it is gone forever.
We walked to the edge of Long Island City to the very vintage looking Pepsi Cola sign, which we were able to see earlier from the other side of the river at the Four Freedoms Park, and then made our way to the Gantry Park. When I first saw the Gantries I could care less what they did or why they were there but I was happy I got to learn about them after I found out more about the structures. Next week I am excited for Coney Island! I was there during the summer and I have been dying to take another trip there to ride the Cyclone, specially, since it was not opened when I was there. I am looking forward to the rest of the class sessions in NYC, although I am hoping we will not have to go on as many subway rides as this week.
Journal 3
Bodacious Brooklyn
The start to this day was bizarre. I could not find the proper song to begin the day on my MP3 player! I put it on shuffle and hit next, waiting for one to just feel right, but none of them did. I then put on Sad Songs by The Maine, a favorite of mine, which is surprisingly happy sounding considering the title and the lyrics. I got on a peak train with an off peak ticket, for the second time, which did not ruin my morning but was a slight annoyance. I was waiting for the 9:15, off peak time, train to pull into the station and was waiting on the platform when at 9:12 a train pulled up. I took my ear buds out and listened for a moment and there were no announcements so I just assumed that the 9:15 train was early. What I did not realize at the time
was that there was a 9:07, on peak time, train that was late. I learned a good lesson that day: Never assume a train is early.
Train rides are always a little weird but this one was slightly weirder than usual and not because of any single person or event. I think I should rephrase the first part of my last sentence to say that train rides are always very depressing, which I feel is a much more accurate description. I am not sure what it is about a train ride that makes the riders so somber. This train ride was different than the other ones because there was an extra flare of depressing surging through the train. I am typically not susceptible to the LIRR Pity Party that everyone seems to be a part of during their ride but I found myself a victim of the depressive pull on this particular Friday. I looked around at everyone’s sad faces; their eye’s glazed over with an expression of regretful reflection and deep thought. Each one of them looked as though they had their own individual doomsday cloud looming above their heads. I looked at all of the iPods playing music that either validated their mood or was being played to try and lighten their mood. Even if someone were to walk on the train in a good mood it would be hard to stay that way. I tried to think about what they were thinking about. Were their thoughts about something severe or were they about something much less serious? I caught sight of my own reflection in the mirror, I looked like a zombie, a standard train zombie. I smiled at myself and then laughed at myself. I started feeling a lot less grim and I vowed never to let the train get me again.
A good people watcher never gets caught. Ever! That’s why if people watching were a profession, I would be a highly qualified professional. Outside of Penn Station is always a great spot to people watch. Any man brave enough to wear neon orange pants is always worth watching. The man, who looked as though he was in his early 20’s, was sitting on the steps in front of Madison Square Garden not exactly rocking his neon look. The pants had a blinding power and they did not look as though they fit him correctly. In general, windbreaker material is not a flattering fabric and the use of it in pants form was just ungodly. The giant garbage bag he was gripping is what caught my attention next. X-ray vision would have been nice for a moment just to peak at what was inside. I could not help but wonder what a man with such a fascinating sense of fashion would have in a big garbage bag. It looked puffy and bulgy and there were no sharp edges poking through. I would imagine a garbage bag full of Peanut Butter would look like this. I decided to get a closer look so I sat across from him and was pretending to text while glancing over at the bag periodically. Apparently the contents of the bag were a secret, a secret which he felt I was way too close to despite the more than six feet of space between us, and he got up walked away. I was hoping the bag would rip so I could see what fell out. My prediction is that the bag was filled with clothes or pillows and blankets and he just did not want to ruin his outfit by walking around with a luggage case.
Our first stop today was Coney Island which was originally named Konjin Eiland by the Dutch Settlers who had found many rabbits inhabiting the area (Blue Book Guide, 2008). Unfortunately all of the rides were closed for the fall and winter. I found it funny that the weather while I was there this time was identical to the weather during my first trip to Coney during the summer. Clouds filled with rain hovered in the sky and only let down a few drops occasionally. It was strange to see the park not in use, almost spooky, but the scene somehow seemed familiar. I could not put my finger on it at first but as we approached Luna Park, which was opened in 1903 (Blue Book Guide, 2008), it hit me! The abandoned amusement park was reminiscent of several episodes of Scooby Doo. I could almost hear Shaggy calling for his pal Scooby and Fred announcing his plan to “split up” as if he had never suggested it before.
I can speak of two rides with certainty, the Cyclone which I did not ride during the summer but know a lot about, and the Wonder Wheel which I did have the pleasure of riding. The book described the Cyclone as “the world’s most terrifying roller coaster,” (Blue Book Guide, p. 492) which is really just laughable. The only thing terrifying about it is the fact that it looks like its falling apart and the same description can go for the Wonder Wheel, which makes awful noises as if the metal foundation is bending and about to snap. Despite the appearance of the Cyclone and the fact that I know it is going to be a far cry from what is offered at Six Flags, I still want to ride it someday.
The first time I visited Coney Island I thought I had gotten a Nathans hotdog at the original Nathans but found out on this trip that I was wrong. When I was there only a few months ago, I got a hotdog and fries at the Nathans at the boardwalk. I am really glad I got a chance to get a hotdog at the original stand. After I finally got my hot dog at the original Nathans which is on the street behind the boardwalk, I headed to the beach to check out the landscape. I am not a fan of this beach actually. I feel as though the Coney Island beach is kind of dirty and that there are many other beaches with better scenery. On that same note, I may have a different interpretation of the Coney beach image if the sun had been out at some point during at least one of my trips there.
Our second destination was the New York Transit Museum. If I can be very honest, I could not have cared less about this place if I tried. Subways are not my thing to begin with so learning that I was about to learn about them sounded more like a death sentence. The temperature inside the museum was at crippling high and this did not help put a beat in my step. Our speaker was very nice, she was passionate about the subway systems, and she had a tattoo of a rat on her forearm. I found myself looking at the tattoo a lot while she was speaking. I could not help but wonder if she got the tattoo to represent the subways since, which she even said herself, there are a lot of rats down there or if it represented something else altogether. She seemed like a very well-rounded woman and her love of the subways was honestly befuddling to me. I kept trying to think of likable things about the subway. It can get you from one place to another but so can a lot of other things that are not dirty, or nasty, or humid. I just could not wrap my head around the idea that someone could love the subways! However, I have a rock collection, that is, a collection of actual rocks, not rock music, and a whole long list of strange quirks and interests that would probably bewilder others too. So despite the fact I could not understand the fascination with the subway, I was not in any way judgmental, I just found myself thinking about it. She told us the history of the museum location. The museum opened in 1976 and was intended to be temporary until the popularity of the museum caused it to become a permanent New York feature (Blue Book Guide, 2008).
We were given free time to walk around the museum, which I was not thrilled about, I just wanted to run up to the streets and let the breeze hit me and be done with the Transit Museum. I dragged my feet around the upstairs portion but actually found myself kind of pleasantly surprised by the old train cars downstairs. The first thing I noticed is that the old subway seats are ridiculously more comfortable than the ones that can be found in subways today. Many of them were padded but the increased comfort level meant that not as many people could fit inside each car. The modern subways really need to revamp to make the current subway ride at least slightly more pleasant. They should make comfier seats as well as enough space to accommodate the amount of people that ride. I enjoyed looking at all of the old advertisements inside the cars and noted that there were many advertisements for soap.
Afterwards we made our way through Brooklyn Heights stopping at several locations to note the building’s history and architectural style. Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church was a beautiful gothic style structure. The building is actually a “Ruskian Gothic” styled building, named after John Ruskin, an English writer (Blue Book Guide, p. 15, 2008). We then made our way to the Promenade, a gorgeous park offering exquisite views of the city, including the Statue of Liberty. Mike informed us that in 1776 a revolutionary war battle was set to be fought in this spot but due to George Washington’s knowledge of warfare decided to flee. This action saved the lives of many soldier’s and aided greatly in the allowing us to win the war.
We made our way to Brooklyn Bridge Park, where I saw Jane’s Carousel, and got some great pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge. I was pretty bummed out that the Carousel was not up and running, I would have loved to have gone on it. Our next stop was to Jaques-Torres for the most deliciously chocolate ice cream I have ever had! Next we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge which was a fun experience but the fear of being run over by the bikers was really outweighing the fun of it all. They were zooming by at unnecessarily fast speeds! Part of me believes they were doing it on purpose to horrify unsuspecting tourists. The final steps off the bridge marked the end of the day. I was ecstatic when I reached Penn Station because I knew a good night’s sleep only about an hour away. I am looking forward to next week; I was told that there is going to be more ice cream!
was that there was a 9:07, on peak time, train that was late. I learned a good lesson that day: Never assume a train is early.
Train rides are always a little weird but this one was slightly weirder than usual and not because of any single person or event. I think I should rephrase the first part of my last sentence to say that train rides are always very depressing, which I feel is a much more accurate description. I am not sure what it is about a train ride that makes the riders so somber. This train ride was different than the other ones because there was an extra flare of depressing surging through the train. I am typically not susceptible to the LIRR Pity Party that everyone seems to be a part of during their ride but I found myself a victim of the depressive pull on this particular Friday. I looked around at everyone’s sad faces; their eye’s glazed over with an expression of regretful reflection and deep thought. Each one of them looked as though they had their own individual doomsday cloud looming above their heads. I looked at all of the iPods playing music that either validated their mood or was being played to try and lighten their mood. Even if someone were to walk on the train in a good mood it would be hard to stay that way. I tried to think about what they were thinking about. Were their thoughts about something severe or were they about something much less serious? I caught sight of my own reflection in the mirror, I looked like a zombie, a standard train zombie. I smiled at myself and then laughed at myself. I started feeling a lot less grim and I vowed never to let the train get me again.
A good people watcher never gets caught. Ever! That’s why if people watching were a profession, I would be a highly qualified professional. Outside of Penn Station is always a great spot to people watch. Any man brave enough to wear neon orange pants is always worth watching. The man, who looked as though he was in his early 20’s, was sitting on the steps in front of Madison Square Garden not exactly rocking his neon look. The pants had a blinding power and they did not look as though they fit him correctly. In general, windbreaker material is not a flattering fabric and the use of it in pants form was just ungodly. The giant garbage bag he was gripping is what caught my attention next. X-ray vision would have been nice for a moment just to peak at what was inside. I could not help but wonder what a man with such a fascinating sense of fashion would have in a big garbage bag. It looked puffy and bulgy and there were no sharp edges poking through. I would imagine a garbage bag full of Peanut Butter would look like this. I decided to get a closer look so I sat across from him and was pretending to text while glancing over at the bag periodically. Apparently the contents of the bag were a secret, a secret which he felt I was way too close to despite the more than six feet of space between us, and he got up walked away. I was hoping the bag would rip so I could see what fell out. My prediction is that the bag was filled with clothes or pillows and blankets and he just did not want to ruin his outfit by walking around with a luggage case.
Our first stop today was Coney Island which was originally named Konjin Eiland by the Dutch Settlers who had found many rabbits inhabiting the area (Blue Book Guide, 2008). Unfortunately all of the rides were closed for the fall and winter. I found it funny that the weather while I was there this time was identical to the weather during my first trip to Coney during the summer. Clouds filled with rain hovered in the sky and only let down a few drops occasionally. It was strange to see the park not in use, almost spooky, but the scene somehow seemed familiar. I could not put my finger on it at first but as we approached Luna Park, which was opened in 1903 (Blue Book Guide, 2008), it hit me! The abandoned amusement park was reminiscent of several episodes of Scooby Doo. I could almost hear Shaggy calling for his pal Scooby and Fred announcing his plan to “split up” as if he had never suggested it before.
I can speak of two rides with certainty, the Cyclone which I did not ride during the summer but know a lot about, and the Wonder Wheel which I did have the pleasure of riding. The book described the Cyclone as “the world’s most terrifying roller coaster,” (Blue Book Guide, p. 492) which is really just laughable. The only thing terrifying about it is the fact that it looks like its falling apart and the same description can go for the Wonder Wheel, which makes awful noises as if the metal foundation is bending and about to snap. Despite the appearance of the Cyclone and the fact that I know it is going to be a far cry from what is offered at Six Flags, I still want to ride it someday.
The first time I visited Coney Island I thought I had gotten a Nathans hotdog at the original Nathans but found out on this trip that I was wrong. When I was there only a few months ago, I got a hotdog and fries at the Nathans at the boardwalk. I am really glad I got a chance to get a hotdog at the original stand. After I finally got my hot dog at the original Nathans which is on the street behind the boardwalk, I headed to the beach to check out the landscape. I am not a fan of this beach actually. I feel as though the Coney Island beach is kind of dirty and that there are many other beaches with better scenery. On that same note, I may have a different interpretation of the Coney beach image if the sun had been out at some point during at least one of my trips there.
Our second destination was the New York Transit Museum. If I can be very honest, I could not have cared less about this place if I tried. Subways are not my thing to begin with so learning that I was about to learn about them sounded more like a death sentence. The temperature inside the museum was at crippling high and this did not help put a beat in my step. Our speaker was very nice, she was passionate about the subway systems, and she had a tattoo of a rat on her forearm. I found myself looking at the tattoo a lot while she was speaking. I could not help but wonder if she got the tattoo to represent the subways since, which she even said herself, there are a lot of rats down there or if it represented something else altogether. She seemed like a very well-rounded woman and her love of the subways was honestly befuddling to me. I kept trying to think of likable things about the subway. It can get you from one place to another but so can a lot of other things that are not dirty, or nasty, or humid. I just could not wrap my head around the idea that someone could love the subways! However, I have a rock collection, that is, a collection of actual rocks, not rock music, and a whole long list of strange quirks and interests that would probably bewilder others too. So despite the fact I could not understand the fascination with the subway, I was not in any way judgmental, I just found myself thinking about it. She told us the history of the museum location. The museum opened in 1976 and was intended to be temporary until the popularity of the museum caused it to become a permanent New York feature (Blue Book Guide, 2008).
We were given free time to walk around the museum, which I was not thrilled about, I just wanted to run up to the streets and let the breeze hit me and be done with the Transit Museum. I dragged my feet around the upstairs portion but actually found myself kind of pleasantly surprised by the old train cars downstairs. The first thing I noticed is that the old subway seats are ridiculously more comfortable than the ones that can be found in subways today. Many of them were padded but the increased comfort level meant that not as many people could fit inside each car. The modern subways really need to revamp to make the current subway ride at least slightly more pleasant. They should make comfier seats as well as enough space to accommodate the amount of people that ride. I enjoyed looking at all of the old advertisements inside the cars and noted that there were many advertisements for soap.
Afterwards we made our way through Brooklyn Heights stopping at several locations to note the building’s history and architectural style. Saint Ann’s Episcopal Church was a beautiful gothic style structure. The building is actually a “Ruskian Gothic” styled building, named after John Ruskin, an English writer (Blue Book Guide, p. 15, 2008). We then made our way to the Promenade, a gorgeous park offering exquisite views of the city, including the Statue of Liberty. Mike informed us that in 1776 a revolutionary war battle was set to be fought in this spot but due to George Washington’s knowledge of warfare decided to flee. This action saved the lives of many soldier’s and aided greatly in the allowing us to win the war.
We made our way to Brooklyn Bridge Park, where I saw Jane’s Carousel, and got some great pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge. I was pretty bummed out that the Carousel was not up and running, I would have loved to have gone on it. Our next stop was to Jaques-Torres for the most deliciously chocolate ice cream I have ever had! Next we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge which was a fun experience but the fear of being run over by the bikers was really outweighing the fun of it all. They were zooming by at unnecessarily fast speeds! Part of me believes they were doing it on purpose to horrify unsuspecting tourists. The final steps off the bridge marked the end of the day. I was ecstatic when I reached Penn Station because I knew a good night’s sleep only about an hour away. I am looking forward to next week; I was told that there is going to be more ice cream!
Journal 4
A Tale of Three Villages
This class has officially begun to take a toll on my wallet. My friends like to call me frugal but I prefer to consider myself financially conscious. Before I registered for the course, I thought about how this type of class would impact my finances. I calculated that the train ticket would only cost about 20 dollars a week and as long as I did not spend money haphazardly while in the city that the class would not press to heavily on my bank account. However, I seemed to have forgotten that money always adds up. For the past few years I have prided myself on my weekly budget of 50 dollars (40 dollars if I can help it) which is divided between gas and everything else. I went to the bank Thursday to have some cash on me for Friday and part of my soul died when I saw the balance. Although the class has not been forcing me to spend an outlandish amount of cash, it is still burning some holes in my pockets.
I was reluctant to purchase my train tickets on Friday morning, knowing that more of my hard earned money would be going towards transportation. It would be different if the money was going towards a night out with friends because at least I would have some sort of story to tell or experience making the expense worth it. While the experience once in the city is worth the expense, the train ride never seems worth the money so I have to make it worthwhile and entertaining with my thoughts and the music on my Mp3 player. I just added two new bands, Man Overboard and The Story So Far, to my music library so I let them be the soundtrack to my train ride. I listened to Small Talk by the Story so Far and I felt pretty good about the day ahead of me when I got off the train.
After getting into Penn, I bought a pack of gum and headed to my usual spot outside near the entrance to Madison Square Garden. I decided not to sit near the flower bed on this day because there was some type of gathering of bizarre people going on so I stood on the steps underneath the digital clock. I noted that the vicinity around Penn Station reeked of garbage. The smell of the city is distinct, sometimes putrid, but for the most part will occur and then dissipate after a moment or two. The smell outside of Penn was atrocious and unmerciful. I felt as if my nostrils were under attack. Eventually the smell of the fresh morning air shattered the smell of garbage and my nose was free to breathe as it pleased.
I was thinking about Greenwich Village, a place I have always wanted to visit, and was trying brainstorm all of the things I knew about it. I quickly found out that I really did not know as much as I thought I knew about the village. I knew that it is a place rich with history and culture, specifically the punk culture, and I had it in my mind that the place would be swarming with Green Day and Misfits fans. Later on, I found that Greenwich was not the punk mecca I thought it was going to be but still contains remnants of the late 1970’s sub culture in the form of small stores. Although Greenwich Village is historically known for being the center of NYC’s alternative cultures, including punks, artists, writers, musicians, and the gay, transgendered, and lesbian community, the village is now a mainly gentrified area with many shops, coffee houses, and parks. While the village is still recognized for its history, the city has become a much more tolerant place which in turn led to a diffusion and integration of the subcultures into many different areas around the city.
On our way to the Merchant House, we stopped at The Stone Wall Inn to learn about its role in New York City‘s gay rights movement. Mike told us that New York City has the largest gay and lesbian community in the country. The Stone Wall Inn has a fascinating history and was the location of the riots which essentially sparked the gay rights movement in NYC. Stone Wall was originally owned by the mob who bribed the neighboring police departments so that the cops would stay out of the illegal affairs taking place at the inn. However, the police officers did not turn a blind eye so easily and would periodically raid the Inn. During the occasion of the Stone Wall Riots, a group of drag queens were arrested which led to the 3 day riot. The riot took place on June 28, 1989 and the gay pride parade held every year towards the end of June serves as remembrance and is held in honor of the riots which initiated the gay rights movement in NYC. Directly across the street from the Stone Wall Inn is Christopher Park, a small park area with benches and two sets of statues in honor of NYC’s homosexual community. The monument titled “Gay Liberation” consists of statues of two couples, one set of two men, and the other set of two women.
Next, we went to the Merchant House, previously owned by the Tredwell family to see how an upper class family would live during the late 19th century. The Tredwell family purchased the home in 1835 for a total of $18,000 and the home remained in the family until the youngest Tredwell daughter passed away in 1933 (Blue Book Guide, 2008). Three years after her death, the home was turned into a museum and much of the original furniture was kept intact, including the kitchen hearth (Blue Book Guide, 2008). Our tour guide told us that 80% of the furniture in the home originally belonged to the Tredwell family. There was an outside garden, which was pretty unexpected. I had assumed that city homes did not have garden areas since there was so much pressure on the city in the past to make sure that there were parks within walking distance of homes. While this one was small, our tour guide said at one point the garden was a lot bigger. The front parlor was the most regal looking room in the house. It was in these rooms that parties were held and where the daily social responsibilities of a family were fulfilled. It was interesting how in those times people were required to go door to door to their neighbors and leave some sort of indication that they had visited in order to avoid social conflicts. Thank goodness for cell phones!
After the Merchant House we visited Washington Square Park. We had passed it earlier, in a rush to make our appointment at the Merchant House, and I was so disappointed because I spotted some major photograph opportunities. I was really happy we returned so I could get some pictures of the arch and the fountain. The Washington Arch has a sculpture of George Washington on both sides. The statue on the left side shows him as a militant leader and the other depicts him as President. I would like to visit at night some day because Meritta told us that the lights inside of the arch turn on.
We then went to the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space where we met our tour guide, a friendly older man with combat boots and a denim vest, who self-referenced himself as an “organic historian.” I had no idea what that was supposed to mean, so I assumed that he was loopy but it turns out that he knew exactly what he was talking about. An “organic historian,” is a brilliantly accurate word to describe his work. He took us on a walking tour of some of the community gardens in the area and discussed productive ways to recycle and reuse. He took us to the 9th Street Community Garden, which was unfortunately closed, and to the La Plaza Cultural community garden.
Inside the second community garden, I found myself trying to picture all of the flowers bloomed. I have decided that I need to come back to this area around the beginning of June when the flowers are in full swing. However, I did manage to find a beautiful blooming rose that I stopped to take a few pictures of. The next part of the tour took us to Tompkins Square Park. Tompkins Square Park was designed by Robert Moses and features “small patches of green interrupted by curving walkways,” ironically said to be deliberately set up this way in order to prevent riots and large demonstrations on the property (Blue Book Guide, 2008). Despite the blue prints intended to thwart protests and riots, Tompkins Square Park seemed to have riots constantly.
On our way home we also stopped at the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop and I tried a Salty Pimp. I do not particularly care for vanilla but it was dipped in chocolate and I was really curious about how salt would taste on ice cream. I must say, it was delicious and I recommend that everyone tries some. While I was standing next to the register waiting for my ice cream, a woman behind me was having the same debate I was having earlier about the salt content of the Salty Pimp. The eccentric man at the register exulted "Put an 'S' on your chest and salt it!" I will probably never forget those words because they were what I refer to as "irrelevantly relevant".
I am really excited for next week because we are visiting some of my favorite spots in the city! I have been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art a bunch of times; a virtual map is practically engraved in my mind. I hope I get to visit my treasured Wonderland while at Central Park.
I was reluctant to purchase my train tickets on Friday morning, knowing that more of my hard earned money would be going towards transportation. It would be different if the money was going towards a night out with friends because at least I would have some sort of story to tell or experience making the expense worth it. While the experience once in the city is worth the expense, the train ride never seems worth the money so I have to make it worthwhile and entertaining with my thoughts and the music on my Mp3 player. I just added two new bands, Man Overboard and The Story So Far, to my music library so I let them be the soundtrack to my train ride. I listened to Small Talk by the Story so Far and I felt pretty good about the day ahead of me when I got off the train.
After getting into Penn, I bought a pack of gum and headed to my usual spot outside near the entrance to Madison Square Garden. I decided not to sit near the flower bed on this day because there was some type of gathering of bizarre people going on so I stood on the steps underneath the digital clock. I noted that the vicinity around Penn Station reeked of garbage. The smell of the city is distinct, sometimes putrid, but for the most part will occur and then dissipate after a moment or two. The smell outside of Penn was atrocious and unmerciful. I felt as if my nostrils were under attack. Eventually the smell of the fresh morning air shattered the smell of garbage and my nose was free to breathe as it pleased.
I was thinking about Greenwich Village, a place I have always wanted to visit, and was trying brainstorm all of the things I knew about it. I quickly found out that I really did not know as much as I thought I knew about the village. I knew that it is a place rich with history and culture, specifically the punk culture, and I had it in my mind that the place would be swarming with Green Day and Misfits fans. Later on, I found that Greenwich was not the punk mecca I thought it was going to be but still contains remnants of the late 1970’s sub culture in the form of small stores. Although Greenwich Village is historically known for being the center of NYC’s alternative cultures, including punks, artists, writers, musicians, and the gay, transgendered, and lesbian community, the village is now a mainly gentrified area with many shops, coffee houses, and parks. While the village is still recognized for its history, the city has become a much more tolerant place which in turn led to a diffusion and integration of the subcultures into many different areas around the city.
On our way to the Merchant House, we stopped at The Stone Wall Inn to learn about its role in New York City‘s gay rights movement. Mike told us that New York City has the largest gay and lesbian community in the country. The Stone Wall Inn has a fascinating history and was the location of the riots which essentially sparked the gay rights movement in NYC. Stone Wall was originally owned by the mob who bribed the neighboring police departments so that the cops would stay out of the illegal affairs taking place at the inn. However, the police officers did not turn a blind eye so easily and would periodically raid the Inn. During the occasion of the Stone Wall Riots, a group of drag queens were arrested which led to the 3 day riot. The riot took place on June 28, 1989 and the gay pride parade held every year towards the end of June serves as remembrance and is held in honor of the riots which initiated the gay rights movement in NYC. Directly across the street from the Stone Wall Inn is Christopher Park, a small park area with benches and two sets of statues in honor of NYC’s homosexual community. The monument titled “Gay Liberation” consists of statues of two couples, one set of two men, and the other set of two women.
Next, we went to the Merchant House, previously owned by the Tredwell family to see how an upper class family would live during the late 19th century. The Tredwell family purchased the home in 1835 for a total of $18,000 and the home remained in the family until the youngest Tredwell daughter passed away in 1933 (Blue Book Guide, 2008). Three years after her death, the home was turned into a museum and much of the original furniture was kept intact, including the kitchen hearth (Blue Book Guide, 2008). Our tour guide told us that 80% of the furniture in the home originally belonged to the Tredwell family. There was an outside garden, which was pretty unexpected. I had assumed that city homes did not have garden areas since there was so much pressure on the city in the past to make sure that there were parks within walking distance of homes. While this one was small, our tour guide said at one point the garden was a lot bigger. The front parlor was the most regal looking room in the house. It was in these rooms that parties were held and where the daily social responsibilities of a family were fulfilled. It was interesting how in those times people were required to go door to door to their neighbors and leave some sort of indication that they had visited in order to avoid social conflicts. Thank goodness for cell phones!
After the Merchant House we visited Washington Square Park. We had passed it earlier, in a rush to make our appointment at the Merchant House, and I was so disappointed because I spotted some major photograph opportunities. I was really happy we returned so I could get some pictures of the arch and the fountain. The Washington Arch has a sculpture of George Washington on both sides. The statue on the left side shows him as a militant leader and the other depicts him as President. I would like to visit at night some day because Meritta told us that the lights inside of the arch turn on.
We then went to the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space where we met our tour guide, a friendly older man with combat boots and a denim vest, who self-referenced himself as an “organic historian.” I had no idea what that was supposed to mean, so I assumed that he was loopy but it turns out that he knew exactly what he was talking about. An “organic historian,” is a brilliantly accurate word to describe his work. He took us on a walking tour of some of the community gardens in the area and discussed productive ways to recycle and reuse. He took us to the 9th Street Community Garden, which was unfortunately closed, and to the La Plaza Cultural community garden.
Inside the second community garden, I found myself trying to picture all of the flowers bloomed. I have decided that I need to come back to this area around the beginning of June when the flowers are in full swing. However, I did manage to find a beautiful blooming rose that I stopped to take a few pictures of. The next part of the tour took us to Tompkins Square Park. Tompkins Square Park was designed by Robert Moses and features “small patches of green interrupted by curving walkways,” ironically said to be deliberately set up this way in order to prevent riots and large demonstrations on the property (Blue Book Guide, 2008). Despite the blue prints intended to thwart protests and riots, Tompkins Square Park seemed to have riots constantly.
On our way home we also stopped at the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop and I tried a Salty Pimp. I do not particularly care for vanilla but it was dipped in chocolate and I was really curious about how salt would taste on ice cream. I must say, it was delicious and I recommend that everyone tries some. While I was standing next to the register waiting for my ice cream, a woman behind me was having the same debate I was having earlier about the salt content of the Salty Pimp. The eccentric man at the register exulted "Put an 'S' on your chest and salt it!" I will probably never forget those words because they were what I refer to as "irrelevantly relevant".
I am really excited for next week because we are visiting some of my favorite spots in the city! I have been to the Metropolitan Museum of Art a bunch of times; a virtual map is practically engraved in my mind. I hope I get to visit my treasured Wonderland while at Central Park.