Journals 1-4
1. Impressions of NYC
I always think about how great it would be to show my daughters how beautiful their city is- the skyscrapers, bridges, skyline at night, museums, parks, etc. but being that I am from Queens, when I first think about New York City, I instantly think "BUSY" and "TRAFFIC." From the massive amount of people on the trains/buses/sidewalks/restaurants/stores (basically everywhere) to being stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on the highway/local roads to constantly being tailgated and cut off by very reckless cab drivers; lets just say it is not the easiest place to be walking around with an infant in a stroller while trying to keep a curious toddler closeby.
As a young New Yorker, things that I automatically associate the city with is breathtaking scenery, entertainment, celebrities, Rockafeller Center's christmas tree, and New Years Eve in Times Square. In the rare instances that I do decide to go out and explore, it is always a planned destination from A to B. It is also always by car and is strictly for shopping, food attractions, shows/concerts/basketball games, and of course, the night life (which may consist of 90% of time I am in the city). And no matter how late it is, you will always catch groups of people on the busy streets of NYC - It truly lives up to its reputation as "the city that never sleeps." Unfortunately, aside from Gantry Park in Long Island City and a boat party around the Statue of Liberty (very long ago), I have yet to sit down, enjoy the view, and take in my city for what it is. I know how beautiful it can be.
Luckily, with all the new technology and social networks that have been created, whenever any of my friends go to fancy restaurants, run miles across bridges, or take strolls on the Highline, through all their photo posts/videos, I feel as though I am right there experiencing it with them. New York City is an extraordinary place to be and it is not hard to see why it is such a famous tourist attraction.
I always think about how great it would be to show my daughters how beautiful their city is- the skyscrapers, bridges, skyline at night, museums, parks, etc. but being that I am from Queens, when I first think about New York City, I instantly think "BUSY" and "TRAFFIC." From the massive amount of people on the trains/buses/sidewalks/restaurants/stores (basically everywhere) to being stuck in bumper to bumper traffic on the highway/local roads to constantly being tailgated and cut off by very reckless cab drivers; lets just say it is not the easiest place to be walking around with an infant in a stroller while trying to keep a curious toddler closeby.
As a young New Yorker, things that I automatically associate the city with is breathtaking scenery, entertainment, celebrities, Rockafeller Center's christmas tree, and New Years Eve in Times Square. In the rare instances that I do decide to go out and explore, it is always a planned destination from A to B. It is also always by car and is strictly for shopping, food attractions, shows/concerts/basketball games, and of course, the night life (which may consist of 90% of time I am in the city). And no matter how late it is, you will always catch groups of people on the busy streets of NYC - It truly lives up to its reputation as "the city that never sleeps." Unfortunately, aside from Gantry Park in Long Island City and a boat party around the Statue of Liberty (very long ago), I have yet to sit down, enjoy the view, and take in my city for what it is. I know how beautiful it can be.
Luckily, with all the new technology and social networks that have been created, whenever any of my friends go to fancy restaurants, run miles across bridges, or take strolls on the Highline, through all their photo posts/videos, I feel as though I am right there experiencing it with them. New York City is an extraordinary place to be and it is not hard to see why it is such a famous tourist attraction.
2. Quest of Queens
As opposed to the majority of the class, being that I live in Queens, I met the group on the boardwalk to Flushing Meadows Park from Willet's Point Station. After steaming in the hot sun with barely any shade, staring blankly at all the enthusiastic US Open fans for almost an hour, I was finally united with my group. We walked down the boardwalk only to come to a stop (in some shade, YES!) to talk about the history of the Flushing Meadows Park and the two World's Fair's that occurred there. The World's Fair were "annual expositions held in different parts of the world ... Millions of people attended them them and came away inspired by their exposure to the different cultures and the amazing new products and technology that were on display" (ENY, p219). We learned that the World's Fair no longer exists since the establishment of Disney World and Epcot Center. A handful of important dates we learned were 1898, the consolidation of New York and it's 5 boroughs, 1939-40, the World's Fair of New York at Flushing Meadow Park, and lastly 1964-65, which was the second World's Fair. We then continued our way through the park, which is in fact the fourth largest park in New York (ENY, p217), which is very surprising that it beats the size of Central Park in Manhattan.
First major historical monument we encountered was the beautiful Unisphere, the most iconic structure in Queens which symbolizes "Man's achievements on a Shrinking Globe and an Expanding Universe" and global independence. (ENY, p218). It even had all the water fountains on which would have been rather unlikely if we were to come on non-US Open day. We learned this largest globe structure in the world was originally made for the second World's Fair and the dynamics and architecture was carefully planned by a man named Gilmore D. Clarke. We then made our way to the Queens Museum of Art which has been longstanding since 1939 (ENY, p221) which has now been doubled in size with very recent renovations. In this museum, we had a tour guide that explained to us a piece made by a Chinese artist on his take of Beijing which was very inspirational. Looking at it, there is what appears to be a representation of a city with large buildings divided into 3 sections on wheels. Taking a closer look, you soon realize that the buildings are made up of books- chinese school books to be exact. It can be a way the artist is trying to tell the audience about the youth, education, power, and the ability to change a city. Another beautiful piece we exhibited was the panorama which is what is considered to be the highlight of the museum, made during the 1964-1965 Worlds Fair (ENY, 221). There are really no words to describe the beauty and precision of this piece. As opposed to first piece of art, this one has no meaning/metaphor behind it, rather just an extraordinary layout of the boroughs of New York, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island, built to scale, which has been renovated a number of times since. The last exhibit we saw was the watershed in which we learned that New York has one of the most purest water supplies from Delaware. Upon exiting the museum, we took a quick look at the Grand Central Parkway and spoke a little about the history of it and a big role Robert Moses played in the development of the New York highway system.
We then made our way back to the 7 train and headed to Jackson Heights in Woodside for lunch where I experienced my very first authentic Indian meal at Jackson Diner. The flavors were a little too strong for my taste but the curry and pita bread were exceptional. (If you really want to try something new, ethnic, and authentic, feel free to pass by my family owned filipino restaurants nearby between 69th and 70th street named "Ihawan" and "Renee's Kitchenette and Grill" which both serve BBQ preparations different ways alongside the standard filipino menu. Then if you enjoyed it, you can take your future classes there and add it to your book! Ha). I might have ate a little too much at Jackson Diner and to prevent the sleepiness from coming on, I made a quick stop for some coffee at Dunkin Donuts since we had 20 minutes to spare.
After lunch, we took the 7 train to Steinway, Astoria, which we learned is a very up and coming area of New York. It also played an important role in the film industry prior to World War II (ENY, 224). After passing by Kaufman Astoria Studios, we paid a pleasant visit to the Museum of Moving Images, which celebrates the history and art of moving making (ENY, 224). Here, we did not have a tour guide rather, we split up and had our own experiences and spent more time on things that we were most interested in. Among my favorites were the makeup and masks exhibit which was incredible. The transformations through molding and makeup are unbelievable. Other exhibits I found very interesting were the optical illusions, cartoon animations, and dialogue replacements. A group of us actually went into the dialogue replacement room and recorded our own voices into different movies (It's a lot harder than it looks!). Optical illusions never fail to catch my attention and I was so intrigued by a spinning contraption that looked a lot different when the lights remained on verses a dark room with a strobe light. How people come up with these things is pure genius in my book. As far as cartoon animations go, I remember as a child always wondering how they made cartoons. Without all the technology we have today, I am very impressed to say the least as to how much work the artist had to do for a single movement in a cartoon character.
Our last stop of the day was Long Island City, a location of rapid transformation over the years. "From once being a predominantly industrial area, a wave of gentrification has transformed LIC, particularly those areas by the waterfront" (ENY, 225). Upon exiting the subway, I immediately noticed a large skyscraper nearby (and only one in Queens), the Citi building. We then made our way to the Museum of Modern Art, also referred to as MoMA PS1. They were very kind enough to let us off the hook today (insert sarcasm here) and enjoy the breeze by the piers longer. MoMA PS1 is the oldest and second-largest nonprofit arts center in the United States solely devoted to contemporary arts (ENY, 225). It was also originally built as the first public school of the town. It was amazing to see gentrification in action as we walked closer and closer to Gantry State Park. On a typical day, heading to Gantry Park with the kids, gentrification would have never even have crossed my mind but now that I have been exposed to it, I can't believe how I never noticed it. (My cousin actually rented a teeny tiny studio in one of those new, very tall buildings and paid nearly $2000 a month. Ouch!) There, we began talking about the evolution of architecture and the different types of buildings that surrounded us. We also got the see a rainbow over the Queensboro bridge and the famous Pepsi-Cola sign and Long Island sign, a symbol of it's industrial past.
While the rest of the class proceeded to the subway at the end of class, my daughters and hubby came to surprise me and we spent a fun day at the park like I did not just end 8 hours walking and swamped in sweat. (No biggie, Mommy does it all.) My overall thoughts on how my first gotham experience went is that it is truly very physically and mentally draining especially towards the end of the day, however, I did learned a lot about the different boroughs and history of Queens.
Enjoy the photos below!
As opposed to the majority of the class, being that I live in Queens, I met the group on the boardwalk to Flushing Meadows Park from Willet's Point Station. After steaming in the hot sun with barely any shade, staring blankly at all the enthusiastic US Open fans for almost an hour, I was finally united with my group. We walked down the boardwalk only to come to a stop (in some shade, YES!) to talk about the history of the Flushing Meadows Park and the two World's Fair's that occurred there. The World's Fair were "annual expositions held in different parts of the world ... Millions of people attended them them and came away inspired by their exposure to the different cultures and the amazing new products and technology that were on display" (ENY, p219). We learned that the World's Fair no longer exists since the establishment of Disney World and Epcot Center. A handful of important dates we learned were 1898, the consolidation of New York and it's 5 boroughs, 1939-40, the World's Fair of New York at Flushing Meadow Park, and lastly 1964-65, which was the second World's Fair. We then continued our way through the park, which is in fact the fourth largest park in New York (ENY, p217), which is very surprising that it beats the size of Central Park in Manhattan.
First major historical monument we encountered was the beautiful Unisphere, the most iconic structure in Queens which symbolizes "Man's achievements on a Shrinking Globe and an Expanding Universe" and global independence. (ENY, p218). It even had all the water fountains on which would have been rather unlikely if we were to come on non-US Open day. We learned this largest globe structure in the world was originally made for the second World's Fair and the dynamics and architecture was carefully planned by a man named Gilmore D. Clarke. We then made our way to the Queens Museum of Art which has been longstanding since 1939 (ENY, p221) which has now been doubled in size with very recent renovations. In this museum, we had a tour guide that explained to us a piece made by a Chinese artist on his take of Beijing which was very inspirational. Looking at it, there is what appears to be a representation of a city with large buildings divided into 3 sections on wheels. Taking a closer look, you soon realize that the buildings are made up of books- chinese school books to be exact. It can be a way the artist is trying to tell the audience about the youth, education, power, and the ability to change a city. Another beautiful piece we exhibited was the panorama which is what is considered to be the highlight of the museum, made during the 1964-1965 Worlds Fair (ENY, 221). There are really no words to describe the beauty and precision of this piece. As opposed to first piece of art, this one has no meaning/metaphor behind it, rather just an extraordinary layout of the boroughs of New York, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island, built to scale, which has been renovated a number of times since. The last exhibit we saw was the watershed in which we learned that New York has one of the most purest water supplies from Delaware. Upon exiting the museum, we took a quick look at the Grand Central Parkway and spoke a little about the history of it and a big role Robert Moses played in the development of the New York highway system.
We then made our way back to the 7 train and headed to Jackson Heights in Woodside for lunch where I experienced my very first authentic Indian meal at Jackson Diner. The flavors were a little too strong for my taste but the curry and pita bread were exceptional. (If you really want to try something new, ethnic, and authentic, feel free to pass by my family owned filipino restaurants nearby between 69th and 70th street named "Ihawan" and "Renee's Kitchenette and Grill" which both serve BBQ preparations different ways alongside the standard filipino menu. Then if you enjoyed it, you can take your future classes there and add it to your book! Ha). I might have ate a little too much at Jackson Diner and to prevent the sleepiness from coming on, I made a quick stop for some coffee at Dunkin Donuts since we had 20 minutes to spare.
After lunch, we took the 7 train to Steinway, Astoria, which we learned is a very up and coming area of New York. It also played an important role in the film industry prior to World War II (ENY, 224). After passing by Kaufman Astoria Studios, we paid a pleasant visit to the Museum of Moving Images, which celebrates the history and art of moving making (ENY, 224). Here, we did not have a tour guide rather, we split up and had our own experiences and spent more time on things that we were most interested in. Among my favorites were the makeup and masks exhibit which was incredible. The transformations through molding and makeup are unbelievable. Other exhibits I found very interesting were the optical illusions, cartoon animations, and dialogue replacements. A group of us actually went into the dialogue replacement room and recorded our own voices into different movies (It's a lot harder than it looks!). Optical illusions never fail to catch my attention and I was so intrigued by a spinning contraption that looked a lot different when the lights remained on verses a dark room with a strobe light. How people come up with these things is pure genius in my book. As far as cartoon animations go, I remember as a child always wondering how they made cartoons. Without all the technology we have today, I am very impressed to say the least as to how much work the artist had to do for a single movement in a cartoon character.
Our last stop of the day was Long Island City, a location of rapid transformation over the years. "From once being a predominantly industrial area, a wave of gentrification has transformed LIC, particularly those areas by the waterfront" (ENY, 225). Upon exiting the subway, I immediately noticed a large skyscraper nearby (and only one in Queens), the Citi building. We then made our way to the Museum of Modern Art, also referred to as MoMA PS1. They were very kind enough to let us off the hook today (insert sarcasm here) and enjoy the breeze by the piers longer. MoMA PS1 is the oldest and second-largest nonprofit arts center in the United States solely devoted to contemporary arts (ENY, 225). It was also originally built as the first public school of the town. It was amazing to see gentrification in action as we walked closer and closer to Gantry State Park. On a typical day, heading to Gantry Park with the kids, gentrification would have never even have crossed my mind but now that I have been exposed to it, I can't believe how I never noticed it. (My cousin actually rented a teeny tiny studio in one of those new, very tall buildings and paid nearly $2000 a month. Ouch!) There, we began talking about the evolution of architecture and the different types of buildings that surrounded us. We also got the see a rainbow over the Queensboro bridge and the famous Pepsi-Cola sign and Long Island sign, a symbol of it's industrial past.
While the rest of the class proceeded to the subway at the end of class, my daughters and hubby came to surprise me and we spent a fun day at the park like I did not just end 8 hours walking and swamped in sweat. (No biggie, Mommy does it all.) My overall thoughts on how my first gotham experience went is that it is truly very physically and mentally draining especially towards the end of the day, however, I did learned a lot about the different boroughs and history of Queens.
Enjoy the photos below!
3. Breezy Brooklyn
Today, I made my way out to Penn station for the first time to meet up with the group (and I was very happy to see Jamba Juice, one of my favorite smoothie shops, along the strip!). We hopped on the F train for an hour and arrived in Coney Island. Coney Island is located in Brooklyn, referred to as Kings County after King Charles II. We began our day talking about the history of Coney Island and how it is home to all the weird events like creep shows, mermaid parades, etc. Today, being that Coney Island is by the water front, the area is currently being gentrified with hotels and high rises for the rich and upper class but "locals in the Coney Island community are fighting to preserve the weird, funky vibe that Coney Island has been known for" (ENY, 194). I know I am from Queens but it was actually my first time ever going to Coney Island. There, we spent an hour enjoying the weather by the waterfront, walking down the boardwalk, playing games (and winning prizes!), and having a bite to eat at the famous Nathan's. I would absolutely come back here and take my family with me next summer!
After Coney Island, we hopped back on the train for another quite lengthy train ride to Brooklyn Heights, which is "one of New York's most exclusive and desirable neighborhoods, with homes often selling for millions of dollars" (ENY, 201). We exited the subway only to take a bit of a walk to another subway station! But this wasn't just any subway station, it was home to the Transit Museum and if it were a regularly day and I was just walking passed it, I would have definitely mistaken that for a regular subway stop. Here we had a museum guide that educated us a little about how the museum came to exist and a lot on the history of subways and different techniques on how they were built. We learned that New York City would not be the same without mass transit. We learned that before trains came to exist, New York City streets were flooded with trash and manure (when horses were the only source of public transportation). It was not until 1888, the government came to intervene and created the department of sanitation as well as a lower subway system. The subway system actually led to the development of areas all across Manhattan as opposed to the majority of the population living in one overly populated area where disease traveled in a blink of an eye. The transit museum had a goal to show how important the subway system is to New York City and should receive the respect and appreciate it deserves. It also had an outstanding collection of trains that dated as back as 1901!
Next stop of the day was Brooklyn Borough Hall, the oldest building in Brooklyn. It is "considered one of New York's finest Greek Revival structures and was built to celebrate the spirit of the Jeffersonian common man" (ENY, 204). From there, we spent a great deal of time walking the streets of Brooklyn, stopping to see and admire different types of architectural styles buildings had and apartment co-ops where famous poets used to live. Among these architectural styles were Gothic Revival, the Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity and the Church of the Saviour, Italian Renaissance style, the former Brooklyn Trust Company Building which is now a Chase Bank, and Renaissance Revival, Brooklyn History Society (which apparently had a beautiful library which were were not able to see).
Finally we arrived in Colombia Heights where neighborhoods were quiet and peaceful and homes were beautiful. We learned about the Brownstone and how most of the buildings in this area were typically made from it. However, this brownstone from the Portland Brownstone Quarries in Connecticut does not last long and is prone to crumbling so most of the buildings are "actually covered in brown cement masonry, rather than in authentic brown sandstone" (ENY, 206).
From there, we arrive at the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Upon entering, we see the Montague Terrace where George Washington decided to abandon their location in Brooklyn and cross the river to Manhattan. Here we spoke about dear old Robert Moses and his decision to build the BQE and cause the destruction of neighborhoods. The view was absolutely breathtaking and the people there seemed very cool, hip and family oriented as they walked down the promenade pushing their children in strollers or walking their dogs.
We then reach "the most important site in Brooklyn Heights" (ENY, 206), the Phymouth Church. There, we spoke about the history of the church and how Henry Ward Beecher, a famous abolitionist, preached here. He was so famous that on Sundays, they created special boats so that people of Manhattan were able to hear his preachings. His statue still stands tall in front of the church as if he was preaching to the people. We entered the facility and admired the statue until we got kicked out by a security guard with a wine bottle in his hand (no big deal).
Walking, walking, walking. and some more walking, and we finally reached Brooklyn Bridge Park, where we had a great view of of the Brooklyn Bridges. This area was surrounded with tourists taking pictures, locals having ice cream, and bride and groom to-be's taking their wedding photos. A little more walking and we arrived at Dumbo, a section of the park which got its name because of its location "down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass" (very creative). This area was once known for manufacturing and was surrounded with factories in the 1890s which then evolved into an area where artists came in search for inexpensive loft space (ENY, 207). A lot of the factories still remain standing today, however, (here it comes again) gentrification is changing much of that. Walking along, we reached Jane's Carousel, which was originally used in a theme park in Ohio but was horribly damaged by fire. It was brought back after 20 years by a woman named Jane, who hand painted each individual horse, and her husband, who was the main real estate developer in Dumbo (ENY, 207). Surrounding the carousel is glass walls and ceilings, which represents a jewelry box that is worth millions. Here we spent a considerable amount of time enjoying the cool breeze, listening to an awesome band (very young too), taking in the scenery, and of course taking photos.
Before walking down the Brooklyn Bridge, we came to an ice cream pit stop at Jacques Torre, where I did not actually have a cone (my stomach was rumbling for some real, savory food!), rather, rested my legs from what seemed to be a very long day of WALKING. We took a little rest break and began our walk to the Brooklyn Bridge. A very surprising fact of history that we learned is that the Brooklyn Bridge was built by a WOMAN! That's right, one of US! The bridge is the oldest suspension bridge in the United States (and we all know why = women work effectively and efficiently!). Before the bridge was built, ferries were used to get from Brooklyn to Manhattan, however, during times of inclement weather, ferries were not able to operate. The "commerce between these two great cities, led the New York Legislature in 1869 to commission the building of a bridge over the East River". It was here the Macy's Forth of July Fireworks were held this year and silly old me thought I would have a great view at LIC in Gantry Park (WRONG!). We then arrived at the Brooklyn Bridge and we were told that we can go ahead on our own if we were in a hurry (which I was since my daughter's 1st birthday was the following afternoon and I had nothing prepared) so I went ahead and enjoyed the view and the walk on my own.
Overall, despite the tremendous amount of walking, I had a great day exploring areas of my city that I had never even knew existed. Enjoy the photos below!
Today, I made my way out to Penn station for the first time to meet up with the group (and I was very happy to see Jamba Juice, one of my favorite smoothie shops, along the strip!). We hopped on the F train for an hour and arrived in Coney Island. Coney Island is located in Brooklyn, referred to as Kings County after King Charles II. We began our day talking about the history of Coney Island and how it is home to all the weird events like creep shows, mermaid parades, etc. Today, being that Coney Island is by the water front, the area is currently being gentrified with hotels and high rises for the rich and upper class but "locals in the Coney Island community are fighting to preserve the weird, funky vibe that Coney Island has been known for" (ENY, 194). I know I am from Queens but it was actually my first time ever going to Coney Island. There, we spent an hour enjoying the weather by the waterfront, walking down the boardwalk, playing games (and winning prizes!), and having a bite to eat at the famous Nathan's. I would absolutely come back here and take my family with me next summer!
After Coney Island, we hopped back on the train for another quite lengthy train ride to Brooklyn Heights, which is "one of New York's most exclusive and desirable neighborhoods, with homes often selling for millions of dollars" (ENY, 201). We exited the subway only to take a bit of a walk to another subway station! But this wasn't just any subway station, it was home to the Transit Museum and if it were a regularly day and I was just walking passed it, I would have definitely mistaken that for a regular subway stop. Here we had a museum guide that educated us a little about how the museum came to exist and a lot on the history of subways and different techniques on how they were built. We learned that New York City would not be the same without mass transit. We learned that before trains came to exist, New York City streets were flooded with trash and manure (when horses were the only source of public transportation). It was not until 1888, the government came to intervene and created the department of sanitation as well as a lower subway system. The subway system actually led to the development of areas all across Manhattan as opposed to the majority of the population living in one overly populated area where disease traveled in a blink of an eye. The transit museum had a goal to show how important the subway system is to New York City and should receive the respect and appreciate it deserves. It also had an outstanding collection of trains that dated as back as 1901!
Next stop of the day was Brooklyn Borough Hall, the oldest building in Brooklyn. It is "considered one of New York's finest Greek Revival structures and was built to celebrate the spirit of the Jeffersonian common man" (ENY, 204). From there, we spent a great deal of time walking the streets of Brooklyn, stopping to see and admire different types of architectural styles buildings had and apartment co-ops where famous poets used to live. Among these architectural styles were Gothic Revival, the Church of St. Ann and the Holy Trinity and the Church of the Saviour, Italian Renaissance style, the former Brooklyn Trust Company Building which is now a Chase Bank, and Renaissance Revival, Brooklyn History Society (which apparently had a beautiful library which were were not able to see).
Finally we arrived in Colombia Heights where neighborhoods were quiet and peaceful and homes were beautiful. We learned about the Brownstone and how most of the buildings in this area were typically made from it. However, this brownstone from the Portland Brownstone Quarries in Connecticut does not last long and is prone to crumbling so most of the buildings are "actually covered in brown cement masonry, rather than in authentic brown sandstone" (ENY, 206).
From there, we arrive at the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Upon entering, we see the Montague Terrace where George Washington decided to abandon their location in Brooklyn and cross the river to Manhattan. Here we spoke about dear old Robert Moses and his decision to build the BQE and cause the destruction of neighborhoods. The view was absolutely breathtaking and the people there seemed very cool, hip and family oriented as they walked down the promenade pushing their children in strollers or walking their dogs.
We then reach "the most important site in Brooklyn Heights" (ENY, 206), the Phymouth Church. There, we spoke about the history of the church and how Henry Ward Beecher, a famous abolitionist, preached here. He was so famous that on Sundays, they created special boats so that people of Manhattan were able to hear his preachings. His statue still stands tall in front of the church as if he was preaching to the people. We entered the facility and admired the statue until we got kicked out by a security guard with a wine bottle in his hand (no big deal).
Walking, walking, walking. and some more walking, and we finally reached Brooklyn Bridge Park, where we had a great view of of the Brooklyn Bridges. This area was surrounded with tourists taking pictures, locals having ice cream, and bride and groom to-be's taking their wedding photos. A little more walking and we arrived at Dumbo, a section of the park which got its name because of its location "down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass" (very creative). This area was once known for manufacturing and was surrounded with factories in the 1890s which then evolved into an area where artists came in search for inexpensive loft space (ENY, 207). A lot of the factories still remain standing today, however, (here it comes again) gentrification is changing much of that. Walking along, we reached Jane's Carousel, which was originally used in a theme park in Ohio but was horribly damaged by fire. It was brought back after 20 years by a woman named Jane, who hand painted each individual horse, and her husband, who was the main real estate developer in Dumbo (ENY, 207). Surrounding the carousel is glass walls and ceilings, which represents a jewelry box that is worth millions. Here we spent a considerable amount of time enjoying the cool breeze, listening to an awesome band (very young too), taking in the scenery, and of course taking photos.
Before walking down the Brooklyn Bridge, we came to an ice cream pit stop at Jacques Torre, where I did not actually have a cone (my stomach was rumbling for some real, savory food!), rather, rested my legs from what seemed to be a very long day of WALKING. We took a little rest break and began our walk to the Brooklyn Bridge. A very surprising fact of history that we learned is that the Brooklyn Bridge was built by a WOMAN! That's right, one of US! The bridge is the oldest suspension bridge in the United States (and we all know why = women work effectively and efficiently!). Before the bridge was built, ferries were used to get from Brooklyn to Manhattan, however, during times of inclement weather, ferries were not able to operate. The "commerce between these two great cities, led the New York Legislature in 1869 to commission the building of a bridge over the East River". It was here the Macy's Forth of July Fireworks were held this year and silly old me thought I would have a great view at LIC in Gantry Park (WRONG!). We then arrived at the Brooklyn Bridge and we were told that we can go ahead on our own if we were in a hurry (which I was since my daughter's 1st birthday was the following afternoon and I had nothing prepared) so I went ahead and enjoyed the view and the walk on my own.
Overall, despite the tremendous amount of walking, I had a great day exploring areas of my city that I had never even knew existed. Enjoy the photos below!
4. Charming Chelsea and The Vintage Village
Today, we were in for a surprise when we got the word that we will not be using the train at all for our day in Chelsea and the Village (boy, 7 hours on your feet, walking very fast paced may I add, is really something). When we met at Penn station, we learned about it's history and how beautiful it used to be until it was torn down and rebuilt very unappealingly, to say the least. However, there are still nice murals on the some of walls that symbolize the ghosts of Penn station and what Penn station used to be.
With a short walk, we arrived at Chelsea. I immediately took note of all the construction of high rises going on in the area. This only meant one thing to me.. Gentrification! We made a stop to talk about the history of Chelsea and how this area has come to be. First and foremost, the name Chelsea came was established by Thomas Clark, the former estate of British army captain, who eventually passed it down to his grandson, Clement Clark Moore, the famous poet who wrote "Twas the Night before Christmas." In that time, Chelsea was an area of exclusive, stylish town houses in what was once countryside. It was not until 1847 it started transforming into a heavy industrialized area. The building of the Hudson River Railroad through Chelsea also contributed into this industrialized change and caused poor Irish immigrants to come to the area, seeking for work in factories, breweries, and slaughterhouses. This movement transformed this area that what once was exclusive into a gritty, working class environment until the 20th century (ENY, 83). Chelsea took another turn in the 1990s when Soho was becoming more and more into fashion and art. It became so popular that rent prices were increasing and the art galleries in the area could no longer afford it. They then took their galleries and brought them to Chelsea where large abandoned buildings, garages, and warehouses were up for grabs (and for cheap!). This helped Chelsea restore it's old reputation as a stylish, exclusive location because hundreds of galleries began to open, turning it into a prestigious center of the art world of New York (ENY, 84).
In the heart of Chelsea is the famous High Line Park, which is an abandoned freight line turned tourist attraction. They transformed this freight line into an elevated park and garden, approximately 1.5 miles long, super eco-friendly, and is still being constructed today. This Sunday actually opens up a newly built and designed area of the park. We began our day at the start of the High Line. While taking a stroll through the park, the view of the city and brand new high rises with post modern structures was absolutely gorgeous. One building worth the mention is the very elaborate IAC Building, that some have compared to as a "tall ship in full sail" (ENY, 85). Although it was very crowded and sometimes had a little too narrow of a walkway, it is definitely something to experience. Overhearing thoughts of tourists, who were covered in very heavy jackets in 70+ degree weather, they really thought the park was very well thought out and was a beautiful place to be to relax, go for a walk, or read a book if you lived in the area. I could not agree more. It is not a surprise to me that this has become a very famous tourist destination.
After the 98% of the class completely lost the instructors who took an exit while we continued to walk down the High Line (it was that good), we found our way back and ended up in an area with door to door contemporary art galleries, what Chelsea is known for. We must've went into almost 10, some I could not even understand why they would call "art" (my 1 and 4 year old could make such a piece. You have to see the chair dumped in white paint in one of my pictures.. I have no words). It is to my understanding that these pieces of art are priced at rates unimaginable s it's definitely the upper upper upper UPPER class who are actually interested in buying such things. One of the galleries we visited was the Jack Shainman Gallery with an exhibit called "Rescue." Here, they had a collection of ceramic dogs on top of, or in, a very elaborate structure (to say the least) that has been shaped to symbolize grottos or dens made out of beads, crystals, metallic flowers, and birds. The artist, Nick Cave, wanted to depict the protection, loyalty, and class that dogs have and most especially focus on the importance of animal rescues. An example of Cave's pieces include a Doberman on a gold sofa while a smaller dog guards his wishbone on a shoeshine table. There are some pictures below this entry of Cave's work.
After gallery hopping, we reached the Chelsea Historical District, which is all that remains of the early 19th century Chelsea, that includes the Cushman Row, the General Theological Seminary, and St. Peter's Episcopal Church. The Cushman Row is literally a row of seven Greek Revival red brick houses that were built by Don Alonzo Cushman, who was a friend of Moore's. Across the street stands the General Theological Seminary, the oldest Gothic Revival structure of New York. A block away is St. Peter's Episcopal Church which was designed by Moore himself in Gothic Revival (ENY, 87).
In Chelsea is also the famous Meatpacking District which is now packed with the city's most popular bars, clubs, and restaurants. In the 1850s-1930s, the area known as the Meatpacking District was a wholesale meat market surrounded by slaughter houses and meatpacking plants. It later turned into an area popular to the transvestite prostitute population at night. Thanks to Mayor Giulliani, his efforts in "cleaning up the city" of crime and prostitution took a toll on this area in the 1990s and began the fashion era of Chelsea (ENY, 87).
Making our way into Greenwich Village, which is known to be one of the most pleasant residential areas of NYC, we made a stop to talk about the history of the area. Greenwich Village was ultimately a beautiful rural suburb of NYC in the early 19th century and was a resort for those who were able to afford it. The population began to grow and when outbreaks of yellow fever and cholera occurred in the 1820s, lower Manhattan residents relocated north to what is now known as the "The Village" and was home to the area's wealthy, new fashionable inhabitants. In the late 19th century, however, it became more industrial as immigrants came from Ireland and Italy. The neighborhoods worth decreased as more factories were being built along the water front and the concentration of low-waged workers. This transformed the area in a Bohemian enclave. In the 1950s-60s, the area became "the avant-garde capital of the city" (ENY, 89). It was then coffee houses were built and famous writers and abstract impressionists came to the area. Post Vietnam War, Washington Square Park became ground zero and a place where hippies united. It was also home to the Stonewall Riots of 1969 that led to the gay rights movement. The bohemian life in New York ended when housing prices increased after the war and became too expensive for artists to live in the 1980s. It is now a rather pricey area of Manhattan, currently undergoing gentrification, and home to the more fortunate.
With much walking, we arrived in the West Village. Among the first stops were the Jefferson Market Garden and Jefferson Market Library, which is one of the very few High Victorian Gothic-style buildings remaining in Manhattan (ENY, 90). The walking continues and we reached the Federal-style Northern Dispensary, which was built in 1831 in order to provide health care for the poor. Further down is the Stonewall Inn which is one of the most important historical sites in regards to the gay rights movement in New York. It is a national monument and is considered to be the gay rights movement birth place. It was originally a gay bar owned by the mob. Long story short, there was a huge riot that lasted for 6 days between the police, the mob, the customers, and locals all because the mob continued to bribe the police to remain a business. Following the riot, protests began against police harassment. This sparked the cause and mass movement of gay liberation and equal rights (ENY, 92).
We then make our way to a federal-style Episcopal church named Church of St. Luke's-in-the-Fields founded by Clement Moore in 1820, which is named after the rural fields of the early 19th century neighborhood (ENY, 93). Continuing our walk to Washington Square Park, we passed by the previous Cherry Lane Theatre, Isaacs-Hendricks House, the oldest house in the Village, 75 1/2 Bedford Street, which was next door and was known to be the narrowest house in NYC, and 116 Wavery Place, a famous literary salon in the mid-19th century (ENY, 94). Finally we arrive at Washington Square Park which once served as a burial for indigent people in the late 1790s. This was also the location to perform public executions by hanging on "Hangman's Elm," a 300 year old tree that still alive today, in the 19th century. Robert Moses also had his defeat against Jane Jacobs here, which led to the decline of his influence of highway development in NYC. The main architectural piece of this park is the Washington Square Arch by Stanford White. It is 70 feet tall and was dedicated to the centennial of George Washington's inauguration displaying Washington both at war and at peace (ENY, 95).
Leaving the park, we found ourselves in the Washington Mews, which was originally used for carriage stables, the only form public transportation at the time. Much history went on in this area from callings to prostitution. Making our way, we arrive at Washington Square North which is a collection of homes that only the wealthy were able to afford. At the end of the street there are three totally identical homes, known as "The Row," which was the first example of controlled urban design in New York and are currently the property of NYU (ENY, 96). A few blocks ahead Washington Square becomes McDougal Street, which was known for an area where artists, intellectuals, and writers recreated. Walking down the street of McDougal, we pass a building at No. 129, which was previously referred to as Eve's Hangout after Eve Adams, Cafe Wha, a place where very famous music legends performed, and 157 Bleeker, formerly known as "The Slide," a drag club in the 1890s that was the first openly gay bar in NYC (ENY, 97). It was here we (finally) took our break and rested our legs at a local bar/restaurant whose service was awesome.
Moving right along to the East Village, a much more grittier area of the Village. In the 1950s, it was considered to be the center of the counterculture in New York. By the 1970s it had become a crime ridden area full of the homeless and abandoned buildings. Today, this area has been going through gentrification replacing the once grungy punk bars and tenement buildings with trendy wine bars and high rise buildings (ENY, 99). Here we arrive at, what I consider as the highlight of the day, the Merchant's House Museum. Here, we obtained a personal guide that showed us into each room of the house and enlightened us with her remarkable knowledge of the home. The Merchant's House is a time warp back into the early 19th century. Stepping into the home, it is apparent from the style, furnishings, and dim lighting, that this house was not an ordinary home, it was a little spooky even. The Merchant's home came with a story of the Tredwell family. The Tredwell were a family of 10, a wife, husband, and 8 children. However, they did not live alone. They also had 4 servants and relatives who living with them. In a nutshell, the home was bought by Seabury Treadwell, a very wealthy merchant, and was passed on to his youngest daughter Gertrude after his death. Gertrude lived until she was 93, a very old age to be considering the life span at the time, and changed very little of the furnishings she had inherited from her father. Although many stories were told about each room and it's inhabitants, I was mostly intrigued by the life of Eliza, the merchant's wife. It is interesting how they communicated with other woman and the necessity of doing "callings," as a way of promoting herself in the society. From the main entrance to the home with the marble floors to the piano (a big sign of wealth at the time) in the parlor room, it amazed how much they cared for outward physical appearance of the home to let visitors know how successful they are. Another interesting fact is how they left the lower doorway only open to Servants, delivery men, and very close family as opposed to them using the main entrance. It is known that the family, especially the children, spent most of their time downstairs where they had very flexible furniture that moved around, allowing appropriate accommodations to whatever work/activities they wanted to do. It was there they spent their intimate time with each other, bonding and doing practically anything they desired. It was funny to see a very fancy couch down there whose style was outdated at the time so they hid it in the basement so others would not judge them for not keeping up with the newest fashion. Being that I am a nursing major, it was surprising to hear that hospitals at the time were last resort for individuals were brought there to die, not to be treated. If one were to go to the hospital, they were just become more and more sicker because of the lack of infection control and protective measures. For Gertrude to live until 93 is an amazing thing. It is told that the mother, Eliza, had a separate bed in her room in order for her to nurse her sick children and separate them among the others to prevent the spread of illness. The last thing that struck me were the ghost stories. I love a good story or 7. It was overall a very cool experience. I always thought I would have loved to live in "Old New York" with the big dresses, horses, and fancy lifestyle but this totally changed my perspective (in addition to the history heard at the transit museum of horse manure piling the streets and the quick spread of disease, yikes).
Continuing our walk to St. Mark's Place, we pass by and take a very quick visit to 41 Cooper Square, an amazing example of a post modern building and is the latest addition to the Cooper Union campus. It is said the the architecture of the building was very well thought out from bottom to top to hold a structure that size and shape. They made the downstairs level and entrance transparent to symbolize that separation between the academic and real world and welcome everyone in (ENY, 101). We also were able to see McSorley's Old Ale House, one of the oldest in NY, 13 Astor Place, where the famous Astor Place Riot took place, and the Cooper Union Foundation Building, covered in Italianate-style brownstone and known for it's steel-framed structure and the first building in the world to ever have an elevator shaft (ENY, 103).
Finally, we arrive at St. Mark's Place, home to record stores, head shops, and inexpensive eateries with a hippie influence from the 60s (ENY, 104). St. Mark's is also home to St. Mark's Church in the Bowery, the oldest church in the city with the actual remains of Peter Stuyvesant buried in a vault underneath the Chapel, St. Mark's historical district, one of the oldest streets in the city, Russian Turkish Baths, a place where the poor came to bathe and get cleaned, and the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, located in a building called "C-Squat." The museum of reclaimed urban space, also referred to as MORUS, is a small museum that we were unable to access but is basically a shrine to political activitism in the East Village. It acknowledges members of the community who took over and transformed abandoned properties into a livable spaces whom later had to fight for their illegal occupied homes as the real estate prices began to increase in the 1990s (ENY, 106). This caused riots between occupants and the police so severe that the police had to bring in a tank-like vehicle down the street in order to overpower those who resisted. Across the street from MORUS is one of the many community gardens of the neighborhood, La Plaza Cultural. Here they were having a community festival that brought members of the community together which is a great thing (since the advance of technology, people do not usually go for meets and recreate as much they used to). This beautiful garden was once a land ill overflowing with trash and debris of buildings. In the 1980s when properties began to rise, developers have been fighting to transform the garden into a high rise building (gentrification in action). However, NY made a a decision to preserve this garden as well as others in the city (ENY, 106).
Ending our time in St. Marks Place we pass by the Church of St. Brigid-St. Emeric and arrive at Thompkins Square Park. It is amazing to hear the history of parks and the long long road they took to get to what they are now. Thompkins Square Park is a beautiful fully gated park surrounded by greens. One would not believe the history of the park judging by its peaceful feel and appearance it has today. This park was home to protests, revolts, and riot after riot in the mid 1800s over new laws drafting working men to fight in the Civil War and the upper class able to buy themselves out of it. They officially closed the park in 1991-92 in hopes to prevent further riots from occurring. Today, this park is harmless as children and their families are able to stroll through without fear. To end our entire day of walking, the class broke at Big Gay Ice Cream Shop where I was too hungry for dinner to have a sweet bite.
Today, we were in for a surprise when we got the word that we will not be using the train at all for our day in Chelsea and the Village (boy, 7 hours on your feet, walking very fast paced may I add, is really something). When we met at Penn station, we learned about it's history and how beautiful it used to be until it was torn down and rebuilt very unappealingly, to say the least. However, there are still nice murals on the some of walls that symbolize the ghosts of Penn station and what Penn station used to be.
With a short walk, we arrived at Chelsea. I immediately took note of all the construction of high rises going on in the area. This only meant one thing to me.. Gentrification! We made a stop to talk about the history of Chelsea and how this area has come to be. First and foremost, the name Chelsea came was established by Thomas Clark, the former estate of British army captain, who eventually passed it down to his grandson, Clement Clark Moore, the famous poet who wrote "Twas the Night before Christmas." In that time, Chelsea was an area of exclusive, stylish town houses in what was once countryside. It was not until 1847 it started transforming into a heavy industrialized area. The building of the Hudson River Railroad through Chelsea also contributed into this industrialized change and caused poor Irish immigrants to come to the area, seeking for work in factories, breweries, and slaughterhouses. This movement transformed this area that what once was exclusive into a gritty, working class environment until the 20th century (ENY, 83). Chelsea took another turn in the 1990s when Soho was becoming more and more into fashion and art. It became so popular that rent prices were increasing and the art galleries in the area could no longer afford it. They then took their galleries and brought them to Chelsea where large abandoned buildings, garages, and warehouses were up for grabs (and for cheap!). This helped Chelsea restore it's old reputation as a stylish, exclusive location because hundreds of galleries began to open, turning it into a prestigious center of the art world of New York (ENY, 84).
In the heart of Chelsea is the famous High Line Park, which is an abandoned freight line turned tourist attraction. They transformed this freight line into an elevated park and garden, approximately 1.5 miles long, super eco-friendly, and is still being constructed today. This Sunday actually opens up a newly built and designed area of the park. We began our day at the start of the High Line. While taking a stroll through the park, the view of the city and brand new high rises with post modern structures was absolutely gorgeous. One building worth the mention is the very elaborate IAC Building, that some have compared to as a "tall ship in full sail" (ENY, 85). Although it was very crowded and sometimes had a little too narrow of a walkway, it is definitely something to experience. Overhearing thoughts of tourists, who were covered in very heavy jackets in 70+ degree weather, they really thought the park was very well thought out and was a beautiful place to be to relax, go for a walk, or read a book if you lived in the area. I could not agree more. It is not a surprise to me that this has become a very famous tourist destination.
After the 98% of the class completely lost the instructors who took an exit while we continued to walk down the High Line (it was that good), we found our way back and ended up in an area with door to door contemporary art galleries, what Chelsea is known for. We must've went into almost 10, some I could not even understand why they would call "art" (my 1 and 4 year old could make such a piece. You have to see the chair dumped in white paint in one of my pictures.. I have no words). It is to my understanding that these pieces of art are priced at rates unimaginable s it's definitely the upper upper upper UPPER class who are actually interested in buying such things. One of the galleries we visited was the Jack Shainman Gallery with an exhibit called "Rescue." Here, they had a collection of ceramic dogs on top of, or in, a very elaborate structure (to say the least) that has been shaped to symbolize grottos or dens made out of beads, crystals, metallic flowers, and birds. The artist, Nick Cave, wanted to depict the protection, loyalty, and class that dogs have and most especially focus on the importance of animal rescues. An example of Cave's pieces include a Doberman on a gold sofa while a smaller dog guards his wishbone on a shoeshine table. There are some pictures below this entry of Cave's work.
After gallery hopping, we reached the Chelsea Historical District, which is all that remains of the early 19th century Chelsea, that includes the Cushman Row, the General Theological Seminary, and St. Peter's Episcopal Church. The Cushman Row is literally a row of seven Greek Revival red brick houses that were built by Don Alonzo Cushman, who was a friend of Moore's. Across the street stands the General Theological Seminary, the oldest Gothic Revival structure of New York. A block away is St. Peter's Episcopal Church which was designed by Moore himself in Gothic Revival (ENY, 87).
In Chelsea is also the famous Meatpacking District which is now packed with the city's most popular bars, clubs, and restaurants. In the 1850s-1930s, the area known as the Meatpacking District was a wholesale meat market surrounded by slaughter houses and meatpacking plants. It later turned into an area popular to the transvestite prostitute population at night. Thanks to Mayor Giulliani, his efforts in "cleaning up the city" of crime and prostitution took a toll on this area in the 1990s and began the fashion era of Chelsea (ENY, 87).
Making our way into Greenwich Village, which is known to be one of the most pleasant residential areas of NYC, we made a stop to talk about the history of the area. Greenwich Village was ultimately a beautiful rural suburb of NYC in the early 19th century and was a resort for those who were able to afford it. The population began to grow and when outbreaks of yellow fever and cholera occurred in the 1820s, lower Manhattan residents relocated north to what is now known as the "The Village" and was home to the area's wealthy, new fashionable inhabitants. In the late 19th century, however, it became more industrial as immigrants came from Ireland and Italy. The neighborhoods worth decreased as more factories were being built along the water front and the concentration of low-waged workers. This transformed the area in a Bohemian enclave. In the 1950s-60s, the area became "the avant-garde capital of the city" (ENY, 89). It was then coffee houses were built and famous writers and abstract impressionists came to the area. Post Vietnam War, Washington Square Park became ground zero and a place where hippies united. It was also home to the Stonewall Riots of 1969 that led to the gay rights movement. The bohemian life in New York ended when housing prices increased after the war and became too expensive for artists to live in the 1980s. It is now a rather pricey area of Manhattan, currently undergoing gentrification, and home to the more fortunate.
With much walking, we arrived in the West Village. Among the first stops were the Jefferson Market Garden and Jefferson Market Library, which is one of the very few High Victorian Gothic-style buildings remaining in Manhattan (ENY, 90). The walking continues and we reached the Federal-style Northern Dispensary, which was built in 1831 in order to provide health care for the poor. Further down is the Stonewall Inn which is one of the most important historical sites in regards to the gay rights movement in New York. It is a national monument and is considered to be the gay rights movement birth place. It was originally a gay bar owned by the mob. Long story short, there was a huge riot that lasted for 6 days between the police, the mob, the customers, and locals all because the mob continued to bribe the police to remain a business. Following the riot, protests began against police harassment. This sparked the cause and mass movement of gay liberation and equal rights (ENY, 92).
We then make our way to a federal-style Episcopal church named Church of St. Luke's-in-the-Fields founded by Clement Moore in 1820, which is named after the rural fields of the early 19th century neighborhood (ENY, 93). Continuing our walk to Washington Square Park, we passed by the previous Cherry Lane Theatre, Isaacs-Hendricks House, the oldest house in the Village, 75 1/2 Bedford Street, which was next door and was known to be the narrowest house in NYC, and 116 Wavery Place, a famous literary salon in the mid-19th century (ENY, 94). Finally we arrive at Washington Square Park which once served as a burial for indigent people in the late 1790s. This was also the location to perform public executions by hanging on "Hangman's Elm," a 300 year old tree that still alive today, in the 19th century. Robert Moses also had his defeat against Jane Jacobs here, which led to the decline of his influence of highway development in NYC. The main architectural piece of this park is the Washington Square Arch by Stanford White. It is 70 feet tall and was dedicated to the centennial of George Washington's inauguration displaying Washington both at war and at peace (ENY, 95).
Leaving the park, we found ourselves in the Washington Mews, which was originally used for carriage stables, the only form public transportation at the time. Much history went on in this area from callings to prostitution. Making our way, we arrive at Washington Square North which is a collection of homes that only the wealthy were able to afford. At the end of the street there are three totally identical homes, known as "The Row," which was the first example of controlled urban design in New York and are currently the property of NYU (ENY, 96). A few blocks ahead Washington Square becomes McDougal Street, which was known for an area where artists, intellectuals, and writers recreated. Walking down the street of McDougal, we pass a building at No. 129, which was previously referred to as Eve's Hangout after Eve Adams, Cafe Wha, a place where very famous music legends performed, and 157 Bleeker, formerly known as "The Slide," a drag club in the 1890s that was the first openly gay bar in NYC (ENY, 97). It was here we (finally) took our break and rested our legs at a local bar/restaurant whose service was awesome.
Moving right along to the East Village, a much more grittier area of the Village. In the 1950s, it was considered to be the center of the counterculture in New York. By the 1970s it had become a crime ridden area full of the homeless and abandoned buildings. Today, this area has been going through gentrification replacing the once grungy punk bars and tenement buildings with trendy wine bars and high rise buildings (ENY, 99). Here we arrive at, what I consider as the highlight of the day, the Merchant's House Museum. Here, we obtained a personal guide that showed us into each room of the house and enlightened us with her remarkable knowledge of the home. The Merchant's House is a time warp back into the early 19th century. Stepping into the home, it is apparent from the style, furnishings, and dim lighting, that this house was not an ordinary home, it was a little spooky even. The Merchant's home came with a story of the Tredwell family. The Tredwell were a family of 10, a wife, husband, and 8 children. However, they did not live alone. They also had 4 servants and relatives who living with them. In a nutshell, the home was bought by Seabury Treadwell, a very wealthy merchant, and was passed on to his youngest daughter Gertrude after his death. Gertrude lived until she was 93, a very old age to be considering the life span at the time, and changed very little of the furnishings she had inherited from her father. Although many stories were told about each room and it's inhabitants, I was mostly intrigued by the life of Eliza, the merchant's wife. It is interesting how they communicated with other woman and the necessity of doing "callings," as a way of promoting herself in the society. From the main entrance to the home with the marble floors to the piano (a big sign of wealth at the time) in the parlor room, it amazed how much they cared for outward physical appearance of the home to let visitors know how successful they are. Another interesting fact is how they left the lower doorway only open to Servants, delivery men, and very close family as opposed to them using the main entrance. It is known that the family, especially the children, spent most of their time downstairs where they had very flexible furniture that moved around, allowing appropriate accommodations to whatever work/activities they wanted to do. It was there they spent their intimate time with each other, bonding and doing practically anything they desired. It was funny to see a very fancy couch down there whose style was outdated at the time so they hid it in the basement so others would not judge them for not keeping up with the newest fashion. Being that I am a nursing major, it was surprising to hear that hospitals at the time were last resort for individuals were brought there to die, not to be treated. If one were to go to the hospital, they were just become more and more sicker because of the lack of infection control and protective measures. For Gertrude to live until 93 is an amazing thing. It is told that the mother, Eliza, had a separate bed in her room in order for her to nurse her sick children and separate them among the others to prevent the spread of illness. The last thing that struck me were the ghost stories. I love a good story or 7. It was overall a very cool experience. I always thought I would have loved to live in "Old New York" with the big dresses, horses, and fancy lifestyle but this totally changed my perspective (in addition to the history heard at the transit museum of horse manure piling the streets and the quick spread of disease, yikes).
Continuing our walk to St. Mark's Place, we pass by and take a very quick visit to 41 Cooper Square, an amazing example of a post modern building and is the latest addition to the Cooper Union campus. It is said the the architecture of the building was very well thought out from bottom to top to hold a structure that size and shape. They made the downstairs level and entrance transparent to symbolize that separation between the academic and real world and welcome everyone in (ENY, 101). We also were able to see McSorley's Old Ale House, one of the oldest in NY, 13 Astor Place, where the famous Astor Place Riot took place, and the Cooper Union Foundation Building, covered in Italianate-style brownstone and known for it's steel-framed structure and the first building in the world to ever have an elevator shaft (ENY, 103).
Finally, we arrive at St. Mark's Place, home to record stores, head shops, and inexpensive eateries with a hippie influence from the 60s (ENY, 104). St. Mark's is also home to St. Mark's Church in the Bowery, the oldest church in the city with the actual remains of Peter Stuyvesant buried in a vault underneath the Chapel, St. Mark's historical district, one of the oldest streets in the city, Russian Turkish Baths, a place where the poor came to bathe and get cleaned, and the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, located in a building called "C-Squat." The museum of reclaimed urban space, also referred to as MORUS, is a small museum that we were unable to access but is basically a shrine to political activitism in the East Village. It acknowledges members of the community who took over and transformed abandoned properties into a livable spaces whom later had to fight for their illegal occupied homes as the real estate prices began to increase in the 1990s (ENY, 106). This caused riots between occupants and the police so severe that the police had to bring in a tank-like vehicle down the street in order to overpower those who resisted. Across the street from MORUS is one of the many community gardens of the neighborhood, La Plaza Cultural. Here they were having a community festival that brought members of the community together which is a great thing (since the advance of technology, people do not usually go for meets and recreate as much they used to). This beautiful garden was once a land ill overflowing with trash and debris of buildings. In the 1980s when properties began to rise, developers have been fighting to transform the garden into a high rise building (gentrification in action). However, NY made a a decision to preserve this garden as well as others in the city (ENY, 106).
Ending our time in St. Marks Place we pass by the Church of St. Brigid-St. Emeric and arrive at Thompkins Square Park. It is amazing to hear the history of parks and the long long road they took to get to what they are now. Thompkins Square Park is a beautiful fully gated park surrounded by greens. One would not believe the history of the park judging by its peaceful feel and appearance it has today. This park was home to protests, revolts, and riot after riot in the mid 1800s over new laws drafting working men to fight in the Civil War and the upper class able to buy themselves out of it. They officially closed the park in 1991-92 in hopes to prevent further riots from occurring. Today, this park is harmless as children and their families are able to stroll through without fear. To end our entire day of walking, the class broke at Big Gay Ice Cream Shop where I was too hungry for dinner to have a sweet bite.